UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


OK 


y 


FROM 

The  Alta  Vista  Psychological  Sanitarium, 

(Formerly  l'ortl;\nd  Institute  of  Psychology) 
PALERMO,     BUTTE    CO.,    CALIFORNIA. 

NOTICK  TO  l\  M.  IF  FOR  ANY  CAUSE,  THIS  BOOK  CANNOT  BE  DELIV- 
ERED KINDLY  NOTIFY  US  THE  AMOUNT  OF  POSTAGE  NECESSARY 
FOR  ITS  RETURN.  GIVING  REASONS  FOR  NON-DELIVERY. 


Library,  University  v  i  Calif 


Mi.  J*  C.  ru,vell.  Calif 


X 


THE 

SCIENCE  AND  PHILOSOPHY 
OF  LIFE. 


To  LIVE  TO  ATTAIN  TO  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  OUE  HIGHER 

POWERS  AND  FACULTIES,  THAT  WE  MAY  COMB  INTO 

THE  POSSESSION  OF  FULLNESS  OF  PEACE  AND 

PLENTY,  OF  ABOUNDING   HEALTH   AND 

HAPPINESS  HEBE,  AND  A  NEVER 

ENDING  ETERNITY  OF  JOY 

HEREAFTER. 


By  EDWARD  H.  COWLES,  D.  P. 

Principal  of  the  Portland  Institute  of 

Psychology. 


To  Live,  to  Learn,  to  Do. 
To  Love,  to  Have  and  to  Enjoy. 


PRICE  ONE  DOLLAR. 


Published  by  the 

ALTA    VISTA    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 

PALERMO,    CALIF. 

1903 


UNIVERSITY 

OF 


Copyright  by 

EDWARD  H.  COWLES, 

1903. 


Published  by  the 
Portland  Institute  of  Psychology, 

The  Marquam, 
Portland,      -      Oregon. 

Price  One  Dollar. 
Postpaid. 


114903 


To  my  Lifelong  Friend, 

E.  C.  D. 

Whose  staunch  and  steadfast  friendship 
in  times  of  severe  trial  and  diffi- 
culties has  ever  been  a 
source  of  encour- 
agement and 

Strength, 

This  volume  is  affectionately 
Dedicated. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  Page 

I.  The  Way  We  Live 21 

II.  Life  is  What  We  Make  It 31 

III.  How  Can  I  Help  Myself  ? 41 

IV.'          Truth,  and  Our  Relation  to  it 51 

V.  Thought,  the  Key-note  of  Life 63 

VI.  Thought,  its  Character  and  Mode 

of  Expression 73 

VII.  Thought,  its  Qualities  and  the  Laws 

Governing  its  Transmission    ...  81 

VIII.  Thought,  Attraction  and  Reproduc- 

tion   93 

IX.  Man,   His  Creation    and    Develop- 

ment   103 

X.  The  Dual  Character  of  the  Mind. . .  117 

XI.  The  Conscious  Mind 127 

XII.  The  Subconscious  Mind 137 

XIII.  The  Subconscious  Mind  ;  its  Func- 

tions and  Operations 149 

XIV.  The  Subconscious  Mind;    General 

Observations  . .  . .  163 


Chapter  Page 

XV.  Suggestion  Defined,  and  the  Way  it 

Operates 179 

XVI.  Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental  and 

Physical  Disabilities 191 

XVII.  Laws  Governing  in  Every  Sphere.  .205 

XVIII.  The  Secret  of  True  Attainment 217 

XIX.  A  Little  Friendly  Talk 229 

Parting 245 

Special  Announcement  to  the  Read- 
er of  this  Book 251 

Perfect  Union  .  ..255 


THE  MESSAGE. 

Truat  thou  thyself,  believe  that  God  hath  given 
Something  to  thee  which  no  man  had  before, 
That  in  thy  message  is  some  darkness  riven 
Which,  but  for  thee,  were  darkness  evermore. 
There  is  a  thing  to  tell,  the  world  is  waiting, 
'Tis  thine  to  tell  it,  speak,  for  time  is  brief, 
'Twixt  speech  and  silence  stand  no  more  debating, 
For  Death  unseen  approaches  like  a  thief, 
To  steal  the  precious  words,  Man  were  the  loser, 
Announce  thy  tidings :  Would  the  master  send 
A  sentient  being,— God,  the  King,  the  Chooser— 
Into  a  strange  new  country  to  no  end  ? 
Dec.  17th,  1902.  ISABEL  EIOHKT. 


There  is  a  method  and  precision  as  well 
as  a  definiteness  in  which  results  follow  cer- 
tain causes,  in  the  external  world,  in  our 
physical  being,  in  our  Thoughts  and  acts, 
and  in  the  whole  phenomena  of  life,  which 
precludes  the  possibility  of  chance  or  co- 
incidence. Without  going  into  a  close  anal- 
ysis of  the  phenomena  of  life,  we  can  readily 
discover  enough  to  impress  us  with  the 
thought  that  back  of  all  life-expression  there 
must  be  Laws  and  fixed  Principles  which 
govern  and  control  in  all  that  comes  to  us. 

A  closer  analysis  will  convince  us  that 
this  is  a  fact.  That  underlying  all  Life- 
expression  there  are  Laws  and  forces  oper- 
ating which  at  all  times  govern  the  results 
of  what  we  think  and  do.  When  we  come 
to  recognize  this  fact,  we  also  come  to  real- 


ize  to  some  extent,  of  what  vital  importance 
it  is  that  we  should  know  and  understand 
the  sphere  and  operation  of  these  Laws  and 
forces,  if  we  would  intelligently  shape  life 
for  ourselves  and  bring  to  us  the  things,  the 
people  and  the  conditions  which  we  desire. 

I  have  no  apology  to  offer  for  the  appear- 
ance of  this  book.  That  which  calls  it  into 
existence  is  the  need,  which  has  been  made 
very  apparent  to  me  in  my  practice,  for 
something  which  would  give  these  underly- 
ing principles  of  life  in  plain  and  intelligi- 
ble language,  such  as  would  admit  of  their 
being  grasped  and  understood  by  the  average 
person,  together  with  the  great  importance 
of  the  subject  and  the  vital  bearing  it  has 
upon  life  in  its  every  detail. 

This  work  was  first  undertaken  with  the 
view  of  being  able  to  supply  my  patients 
with  something  which  would  give  them  the 
basic  principles  of  what  I  teach  them  in  my 
practice,  in  readable  form  that  they  might 
study  and  think  for  themselves,  but  as  I 
have  gone  into  the  various  subjects  the  field 
has  constantly  enlarged,  each  theme  so 


growing  in  importance  and  variety  of  appli- 
cation, that  I  decided  to  publish  it  in  sub- 
stantial book  form  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be 
the  means  of  helping  a  larger  number  to  a 
better  and  clearer  undertanding  of  the  real 
and  true  science  of  living. 

No  attempt  whatever  has  been  made  as  to 
literary  style.  I  have  followed  no  beaten 
path  and  have  made  no  effort  to  either  imi- 
tate or  differ  from  others,  but  have  endeav- 
ored to  express  myself  as  clearly  as  possible 
in  language  which  would  best  convey  my 
meaning. 

N"o  one  can  realize  the  shortcomings  of 
this  work  more  than  I,  but  this  has  not  de- 
terred me.  I  have  had  something  to  say 
and  I  have  said  it  as  best  I  could  with  the 
one  desire  and  purpose  in  view — to  help 
those  who  are  seeking  greater  light  and  at- 
tainment. 

I  have  come  in  contact  with  people  from 
a  practical  standpoint  and  what  I  have 
learned  has  come  to  me  through  practical 
experience  and  observation,  and  not  through 
experimental  work,  valuable  as  that  is  in  its 


way,  hence  the  principles  which  I  have 
stated  are  in  the  main  such  as  I  have  proven 
and  demonstrated  in  practical  work.  There 
are  doubtless  some  propositions  stated  which 
you  may  question.  I  don't  ask  you  to  ac- 
cept them  because  of  my  statement,  but  I  do 
ask  that  you  will  not  reject  them  until  you 
have  carefully  considered  them  and  follower 
them  out  to  their  conclusion  with  the  desire 
to  get  at  the  facts. 

Ideas  and  theories  may  be  at  times  very 
nice  and  pleasant  things  to  contemplate,  but 
when  we  come  to  the  serious  problem  of  life, 
we  want  vital  practical  truths  and  facts,  as 
near  as  we  can  get  them — something  which 
will  admit  of  practical  application  and  of 
bettering  our  condition. 

The  scope  and  application  of  these  Laws 
and  Principles  is  so  vast  and  varied  that  it 
has  been  impossible  to  avoid  what  may,  at 
times,  seem  like  repetition,  but  by  attention 
it  will  be  seen  that  while  a  statement  itself 
may  in  a  measure  be  repeated,  its  applica- 
tion is  different. 

We  are  just  learning.    While  we  think  we 


have  much  truth — and  we  have — yet  when 
we  measure  what  we  have  with  what  is  yet 
attainable — when  we  measure  our  present 
attainment  in  the  light  of  the  vast  fields  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge  of  which  we  get  an 
occasional  glimpse,  we  can  but  feel  that  we 
f*know  in  part."  And  this  should  stimulate 
us  to  desires  for  the  greater  knowledge 
which  is  yet  beyond  us.  "Veil  after  veil 
will  lift,  but  there  must  be  veil  upon  veil  be- 
hind/' The  field  is  just  being  entered  and 
is  practically  unexplored  and  the  one  who 
enters  with  the  sincere  desire  for  greater 
wisdom  and  knowledge,  for  a  higher  attain- 
ment and  development  and  for  a  freer  and 
fuller  expression  of  the  Soul  life  which  is 
within,  will  indeed  reap  a  harvest  of  the 
richest  fruits. 

Let  no  one  think  that  these  transcendent 
truths  are  to  be  grasped  or  made  available 
by  the  mere  reading  or  through  an  intellect- 
ual perception  of  the  truth.  The  greatei 
the  value  possessed  by  a  thing,  the  greater 
the  effort  required  to  obtain  it.  -  If  you  de- 
sire to  know  these  things,  you  will  have  to 


study  them  and  think  and  reason  for  your- 
self. You  will  not  find  everything  "spelled 
out."  While  the  temptation  has  often  been 
great  to  elaborate  the  various  thoughts  and 
principles  stated,  I  have  endeavored  to  be 
as  breif  as  is  consistent  with  the  clear  state- 
ment of  the  principles  involved,  leaving  the 
reader  to  follow  them  out  to  their  conclusion 
and  application,  hence  this  will  be  found  to 
be  more  of  a  text  book,  or  series  of  instruc- 
tions, rather  than  a  book  for  casual  reading. 
I  wish  also  to  say  that  I  am  bound  by  no 
creed,  sect  nor  school.  I  am  a  simple 
searcher  after  truth,  for  its  own  sake,  and 
have  no  theories,  or  philosophies,  or  party 
views  or  beliefs  to  uphold.  Truth  is  Truth. 
At  times  we  may  find  it  in  bad  company, 
and  we  may  have  to  do  a  good  deal  of  sifting 
in  order  to  separate  the  wheat  from  the 
chaff,  but  this  should  not  deter  us  from  seek- 
ing it,  nor  from  perceiving  and  accepting  it, 
no  matter  from  whence  it  may  come.  This 
should  be  our  attitude  continually,  and  the 
more  we  open  ourselves  to  the  Truth,  the 
more  will  it  flow  in  to  us. 


There  are  three  classes  who  will  read  this 
book. 

First;  those  who  read  it  as  they  read  a 
novel,  discerning  what  is  upon  the  surface 
only,  or  failing  entirely  to  understand.  It 
may  create  a  passing  interest,  but  will  pro- 
duce no  perceptable  effect  upon  their  minds 
or  upon  their  lives. 

Second;  those  who  read  and  become  en- 
thusiastic, gaining  a  fair  intellectual  percep- 
tion of  the  Truth,  which  will  for  the  time 
being,  fascinate  them,  and  they  may  go  on 
in  the  same  way,  gaming  that  mental  per- 
ception of  these  truths  and  principles  which 
will  enable  them  to  talk  about  them  and  en- 
large upon  their  beauties  and  significance, 
and  yet  there  be  no  perceptible  effect  upon 
their  lives — no  practical  results.  They  are 
lacking  in  Realization  and  consequently  they 
cannot  apply  them  to  the  problem  of  life. 

Third;  there  will  be  others  who  will  not 
only  read  with  care,  with  the  simple  and 
earnest  desire  to  learn  that  which  will  enable 
them  to  better  their  every  condition,  but  will 
study  and  analyze  each  statement  or  propo- 


study  them  and  think  and  reason  for  your- 
self. You  will  not  find  everything  "spelled 
out/'  While  the  temptation  has  often  been 
great  to  elaborate  the  various  thoughts  and 
principles  stated,  I  have  endeavored  to  be 
as  breif  as  is  consistent  with  the  clear  state- 
ment of  the  principles  involved,  leaving  the 
reader  to  follow  them  out  to  their  conclusion 
and  application,  hence  this  will  be  found  to 
be  more  of  a  text  book,  or  series  of  instruc- 
tions, rather  than  a  book  for  casual  reading. 
I  wish  also  to  say  that  I  am  bound  by  no 
creed,  sect  nor  school.  I  am  a  simple 
searcher  after  truth,  for  its  own  sake,  and 
have  no  theories,  or  philosophies,  or  party 
views  or  beliefs  to  uphold.  Truth  is  Truth. 
At  times  we  may  find  it  in  bad  company, 
and  we  may  have  to  do  a  good  deal  of  sifting 
in  order  to  separate  the  wheat  from  the 
chaff,  but  this  should  not  deter  us  from  seek- 
ing it,  nor  from  perceiving  and  accepting  it, 
no  matter  from  whence  it  may  come.  This 
should  be  our  attitude  continually,  and  the 
more  we  open  ourselves  to  the  Truth,  the 
more  will  it  flow  in  to  us. 


There  are  three  classes  who  will  read  this 
book. 

First;  those  who  read  it  as  they  read  a 
novel,  discerning  what  is  upon  the  surface 
only,  or  failing  entirely  to  understand.  It 
may  create  a  passing  interest,  but  will  pro- 
duce no  perceptable  effect  upon  their  minds 
or  upon  their  lives. 

Second;  those  who  read  and  become  en- 
thusiastic, gaining  a  fair  intellectual  percep- 
tion of  the  Truth,  which  will  for  the  time 
being,  fascinate  them,  and  they  may  go  on 
in  the  same  way,  gaining  that  mental  per- 
ception of  these  truths  and  principles  which 
will  enable  them  to  talk  about  them  and  en- 
large upon  their  beauties  and  significance, 
and  yet  there  be  no  perceptible  effect  upon 
their  lives — no  practical  results.  They  are 
lacking  in  Realization  and  consequently  they 
cannot  apply  them  to  the  problem  of  life. 

Third;  there  will  be  others  who  will  not 
only  read  with  care,  with  the  simple  and 
earnest  desire  to  learn  that  which  will  enable 
them  to  better  their  every  condition,  but  will 
study  and  analyze  each  statement  or  propo- 


sition  with  the  view  of  getting  its  interior 
meaning  and  of  understanding  its  signifi- 
cance and  bearing.  They  will  try  to  get  the 
Thought  which  is  back  of  the  words  em- 
ployed, for  words  are  but  symbols.  They 
are  in  earnest  in  their  desires  to  learn  that 
which  will  aid  them  in  making  their  lives 
more  noble  and  beautiful,  in  attaining  to 
greater  success  and  happiness,  to  a  higher 
state  of  physical  health,  and  in  building  a 
foundation  upon  which  they  can  stand 
throughout  eternity. 

These  will  get  the  most  out  of  this,  or  any 
book  they  read  and  they  are  the  ones  who  are 
continually  travelling  in  advance  of  the 
great  mass  of  humanity  who  are  content  to 
drift  along  with  the  tide  and  winds.  My 
desire  is  to  help  such  as  far  as  it  lies  within 
my  power,  hence  instead  of  putting  this  out 
as  a  "Course  of  Instruction"  and  making  a 
charge  of  five  to  ten  dollars,  as  is  quite  cus- 
tomary, I  have  placed  the  nominal  price  of 
ONE  DOLLAR  upon  it  so  that  it  may  be 
within  the  reach  of  all. 

My  work  is  done ;  but  as  I  review  it  I  feel 


dissatisfied  in  a  measure,  in  that  I  have  not 
been  able  to  elaborate  and  follow  these  vari- 
ous truths  and  principles  to  their  greater 
application,  or  to  bring  their  vital  import- 
ance to  that  point  of  prominence  which  I 
desire,  and  which  they  merit,  but  space  for- 
bids and  I  can  only  present  this  Philosophy 
of  Life  in  epitome  and  leave  the  reader  to 
follow  the  various  propositions  out  to  their 
conclusions  for  himself. 


The- 


Way 
We 

Live. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

As  we  merge  from  the  unconscious  side 
of  life,  of  infancy,  to  the  consciousness  of 
our  surroundings,  with  increasing  years,  we 
are  ushered  into  an  atmosphere  that  is  in- 
tensely material.  First,  that  which  attracts 
the  eye  appeals  to  us,  then  gradually  we  find 
ourselves  coming  under  the  dominion  of  all 
of  the  five  physical  senses.  We  are  taught, 
and  we  come  to  believe,  that  only  that  is 
real  which  we  can  perceive  through  the 
senses,  and  as  a  consequence,  we  begin  to 
shape  our  life,  form  our  character  and  build 
our  future  in  conformity  with  that  which 
appeals  to  us  through  our  material  facul- 
ties. The  natural  tendencies  of  the  Spirit- 
ual or  Soul  faculties  are  idealistic,  but  our 
education  and  environment  lead  toward  ma- 
terialism. 

In  the  process  of  growth  and  unf  oldment, 
no  two  are  alike.  There  are  all  shades  and 


24  The  Way 

degrees  of,  development,  both  in  the  idealis- 
tic and  in  the  material,  dependent  upon 
hereditary  influences,  education  and  envi- 
ronment, but  the  general  trend  of  life  as  we 
all  have  to  meet  it,  is  towards  an  intense  ma- 
terialism. We  are  accustomed  to  judge  and 
measure  everything  from  this  standpoint, 
hence  as  we  advance  in  life,  our  perception 
of  all  that  pertains  to  it  becomes  increas- 
ingly colored  by  and  through  the  natural' 
tendencies  of  our  objective  or  material  facul- 
ties. 

The  idea  that  the  knowledge,  beliefs  and 
perceptions  imparted  to  us  by  the  five  senses 
is  all  there  is,  and  that  they  form  the  basis 
upon  which  we  must  build  our  lives,  is  en- 
tirely erroneous.  These  pertain  to  the  mate- 
rial life,  and  are  the  ever  changing,  con- 
stantly vanishing  and  fleeting  things  which 
will  evenually  lose  their  identity;  whereas 
the  things  on  the  unseen  or  spiritual  side  of 
life  are  the  unchanging,  the  abiding,  the 
absolute,  and  are  far  more  real  than  that 
which  we  discern  through  the  physical 


We  Live.  .      25 

senses.  In  fact,  the  only  things  that  are  real 
may  be  said  to  pertain  to  the  unseen  or 
Spiritual  realm.  They  alone  will  abide 
throughout  eternity,  and  it  is  through  fail- 
ure to  discern  these  important  and  far  reach- 
ing truths  that  we  have  grown  to  believe 
that  nothing  is  real  except  that  which  can 
be  demonstrated  with  mathematical  preci- 
sion or  perceived  by  the  sensuous  life  of  the 
material  man. 

With  the  inbred  belief  that  the  only  thing 
there  is  for  us  in  this  life  is  that  which  ap- 
peals to  our  material  senses,  through  neglect 
the  spiritual  or  soul  side  of  our  being  has 
been  lost  sight  of  and  in  our  development, 
the  material  has  been  cultivated  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  spiritual,  hence  we  find  that  the 
true  expression  of  the  real  or  spiritual  man 
has  become  dwarfed  and  fettered,  and  that 
instead  of  aspiring  to  that  higher  plane  of 
living  which  would  promote  the  growth  and 
development  of  the  best  there  is  in  us,  we 
have  been  content  to  live  in  the  material 
only,  with  the  result  that  our  spiritual  f  acul- 


26  The  Way 

ties  have  become  obscured  and  we  have  suf- 
fered the  loss  of  the  much  that  would  have 
come  to  us,  had  we  cultivvated  the  spiritual 
along  with  the  material  and  taken  a  broader 
and  higher  view  of  life. 

The  only  way  in  which  we  can  arrive  at  a 
true  conception  of  the  life  we  must  live,  is 
first  of  all,  through  coming  into  a  true 
knowledge  of  God,  His  ways,  His  purposes 
and  His  Laws.  The  degree  in  which  this  is 
true  of  each  will  measure  the  degree  of  the 
real  growth  and  development  of  our  higher 
or  Soul  faculties.  So  long  as  we  keep  our- 
selves enveloped  in  the  opaque  blanket  of 
materialism,  so  long  will  the  spiritual  facul- 
ties be  obscured  and  we  be  groping  in  the 
dark — so  long  will  we  fail  to  comprehend 
infinite  Law,  infinite  Wisdom  and  infinite 
Love. 

The  first  step  in  this  direction  is  a  recog- 
nition of  the  great  truth  that  the  things  of 
the  unseen  or  spiritual  are  more  real  and 
abiding  than  the  seen  or  material  things  of 
life.  We  must  rid  ourselves  of  the  idea  that 


We  Live.  27 

we  are  to  be  governed  by  the  material  and 
we  must  understand  that  in  the  degree  in 
which  we  recognize  and  cultivate  the  spir- 
itual or  Soul  side  of  our  being,  will  we  come 
to  be  dominated  by  these  higher  forces  and 
Laws,  so  that,  instead  of  dominating  us,  the 
material  will  be  made  subservient  to  our 
needs  and  necessities.  We  must  also  recog- 
nize the  fact  that  the  five  senses  only  give 
us  relative  knowledge  and  that  things  are 
not  really  what  they  seem.  We  must  recog- 
nize and  realize  the  great  truth  that  on  the 
material  side  of  life,  there  is  absolutely  noth- 
ing but  what  is  changing  and  vanishing — 
nothing  permanent,  while  the  things  on  the 
spiritual  side  are  eternal  and  never  fade — 
that  they  are  the  only  things  that  never 
cease  to  exist. 

True  -growth  and  development  of  our 
"Soul  Nature"  is  the  only  thing  we  can 
count  as  real,  or  as  having  permanent  value. 
All  advancement  in  this  direction  not  only 
contributes  infinitely  to  our  abilities  and  our 
success  in  life  here,  but  fixes  that  within  us 


28  The  Way 

which  will  abide  forever.  When  we  build 
from  the  material  side  of  life,  we  are  build- 
ing for  time  only;  when  we  cultivate  our 
higher,  spiritual  or  Soul  forces  and  powers, 
we  are  then  building  for  both  time  and  eter- 
nity, and  in  eternity  alone  we  shall  be  able 
to  correctly  estimate  or  measure  the  value 
of  these  things. 

The  second  and  most  important  step  in 
the  direction  of  development,  is  the  recog- 
nition of  the  transcendent  truth  that  your 
life  and  mine  is  the  result,  the  product  of 
our  thoughts;  that  your  life  is,  in  its  detail 
and  entirety,  the  actual  product  of  your  past 
thoughts.  Thought  develops  belief,  and  as 
we  are  controlled  largely  by  our  beliefs,  it 
follows  that  thought  is  the  all-important 
factor  in  shaping  our  lives,  no  matter  from 
which  way  we  may  view  it.  To  have  our  life 
right,  we  must  first  of  all  have  our  thoughts 
right,  and  in  the  degree  in  which  we  attain 
to  a  true  conception  of  life  and  of  the  pow- 
ers and  attributes  of  the  Soul,  shall  we  be 
able  to  formulate  and  attract  to  us  thoughts 


We  Live.  29 

which  will  he  productive  of  the  highest  de- 
gree of  success,  of  progress  and  of  spiritual 
development. 

An  intelligent  understanding  of  the  life 
forces  which  operate  on  both  the  spiritual 
and  material  plane,  together  with  a  knowl- 
edge and  understanding  of  the  powers  and 
attributes  of  the  Soul,  will  enable  us  to 
found  our  beliefs  and  acts  upon  Law  and 
Truth.  When  thus  founded,  we  come  to  see 
that  the  occurrences  and  incidents  of  life 
are  not  mere  co-incidents,  but  are  the  result 
of  the  operations  of  Laws  through  which  we 
either  consciously  or  unconsciously  attract 
to  us  that  which  comes  to  us,  and  life  then 
becomes  the  intelligent  application  of  those 
Laws  to  our  own  development  and  to  the 
every  detail  of  our  existence.  We  come  to 
live  and  act  in  harmony  with  these  laws 
which  are  always  operative,  whether  we  will 
them  to  be  or  not,  and  instead  of  finding  our 
condition  in  life  one  of  discord  and  inhar- 
mony,  we  begin  to  realize  the  results  of  the 
practical  application  of  wisdom,  knowledge 


30  The  Way  We  Live. 

and  intelligence  to  the  great  problem  of  life, 
in  bringing  about  harmonious  conditions, 
and  the  realization  of  the  higher  ideals  and 
conceptions  of  the  Soul. 


Life- 
Is 

What 

We 

Make 

It. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

How  natural  it  has  become  for  us  to  lay 
the  blame  of  our  mistakes  and  failures,  ill 
health,  unfavorable  circumstances  and  con- 
ditions, our  unhappiness  and  our  disappoint- 
ments in  all  the  walks  of  life  upon  "fate!" 
How  prone  we  are  to  attribute  our  ills  and 
failures  to  some  extraneous  source  or  cause, 
when  the  real  cause  lies  within  oureslves ! 

Why  is  this  ?  Simply  because  we  have  be- 
come so  accustomed  to  thinking  that  the 
causes  which  control  and  shape  our  lives  are 
external  and  such  as  can  be  measured  by  the 
physical  senses.  We  have  become  so  used  to 
considering  everything  from  a  material 
standpoint — perceiving  only  that  which  can 
be  weighed  in  the  balance  of  human  intelli- 
gence or  measured  with  the  foot  rule,  that 
we  have  actually  grown  into  the  belief  that 
the  things  which  govern  our  lives  and  con- 


34  Life  is  What 

trol  our  destiny  are  the  external.  We  have 
lived  such  an  intensely  material  life,  and 
have  become  so  thoroughly  enveloped  in  the 
dark  mists  of  materialism,  that  we  have  lost 
sight  almost  entirely  of  the  higher,  spiritual 
and  more  potential  forces  by  and  through 
which  our  lives  and  our  destinies  are  con- 
trolled. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  "fate"  and 
nothing  ever  "happens."  The  cause  of 
whatever  comes  to  each  lies  within  himself. 
God  is  the  supreme  fountain  head  of  all 
power — all  originates  with  Him  and  all 
flows  from  Him,  but  in  the  physical  mani- 
festation or  expression  of  the  life  of  man, 
all  force  and  power  comes  from  within  him, 
and  to  the  failure  to  recognize  this  great 
central  truth  and  act  upon  it,  can  be  attri- 
buted all  the  failures,  sickness,  misery  and 
unhappiness  in  the  world.  We  have  been 
workiDg  from  circumference  to  center,  and 
have  never  reached  the  center.  When  we 
shall  reverse  this  process,  and  work  from 
center  to  circumference,  we  will  begin  to 


We  Make  It.  35 

make  substantial  progress,  and  not  until 
then. 

When  we  recognize  the  fact  that  a 
Thought  proceeds  every  act  and  that  the 
tendency  of  Thought  is  to  express  itself  in 
action;  when  we  perceive  the  great  truth 
that  everything  exists  first  in  the  ideal  or 
mental  before  it  is  manifested  in  the  seen  or 
material — that  our  physical  being  and  oui 
lives  are  but  the  outward  expression  of  that 
which  is  within — that  the  material  is  but 
the  expression  of  the  spiritual;  when  we 
discern  the  transcendent  truth  that  the  un- 
seen is  more  real  than  the  seen — that  spirit- 
ual force  transcends  material  force,  then,  in 
the  degree  that  we  come  into  an  understand- 
ing and  realization  of  these  fundamental 
and  transcendent  truths,  shall  we  see  and 
understand  how,  and  why  it  is,  that  the  6ut- 
ward  expression  of  life  is  but  the  manifes- 
tation of  that  which  is  within. 

Life  is  but  the  outward  expression,  the  re- 
sult or  product — the  sum-total  of  our 
thoughts  and  our  inner,  spiritual  state.  This 


36  Life  is  What 

is  absolutely  true,  and  the  moment  we  recog- 
nize this  great  truth,  we  shall  see  in  it,  the 
cause  of  whatever  comes  to  us.  We  shall 
see  also,  that  if  circumstances  and  conditions 
are  not  to  our  liking,  we  have  it  within  our 
power  to  change  them.  The  longer  I  hold 
mly  hand  upon  the  hot  stove,  the  deeper  the 
burn.  If  I  wish  to  stop  the  burning  what 
do  I  do?  Simply  change  the  conditions — I 
remove  the  hand  from  the  stove.  If  the  out- 
ward manifestation  of  life  is  not  what  I  wish 
it  to  be,  if  my  health,  my  success,  my  happi- 
ness, my  circumstances  and  environment  are 
not  what  I  wish,  what  shall  I  do?  Why,  I 
will  change  the  producing  cause — I  will 
change  my  mental  attitude  and  instead  of 
allowing  these  things  to  control  me,  I  will 
control  them,  because  I  know  that  the  power 
to  do  this  lies  within  myself. 

The  causes  which  operate  to  control  and 
fashion  our  life,  our  character  and  our  devel- 
opment in  any  and  all  lines  come  from  with- 
in and  it  is  an  absolute  fact  that  each  has  it, 
within  his  own  power  to  make  his  life  in  its 


We  Make  It.  37 

entirety,  just  what  he  wills  it  to  be.  No  one 
can  say  what  my  position  or  success  in  life 
shall  be  unless  I  allow  it!  Nothing  has 
power  over  me,  except  as  I  invest  it  with 
power!  I,  and  I  alone  am  the  architect  of 
my  own  fortunes  or  misfortunes.  >  I  shape 
my  destiny  here  and  hereafter,  and  if  my 
fortune  and  destiny  are  not  what  I  would 
have  them,  I  have  no  one  to  blame  but  my- 
self. I  am  responsible  for  what  comes  to 
me. 

But  it  is  not  simply  the  mental  perception 
of  these  fundamental  truths  that  is  going  to 
change  our  lives.  It  is  the  vital,  conscious 
realization  of  Truth  ~by  the  Soul  that  pro- 
duces effect.  We  must  feel  the  truth  of  what 
we  believe,  and  feeling  it,  we  are  bound  to 
express  the  Truth  in  external  action,  in  just 
the  degree  that  it  is  realized  in  the  Soul. 

Knowledge  is  power.  This  is  true,  and 
the  important  question  is  what  are  you  going 
to  do  with  that  power  which  you  acquire 
through  knowledge?  It  matters  not  how 
much  power  you  possess,  if  you  fail  to  use  it, 


38  Life  is  What 

or  if  you  wrongly  apply  it.  And  here  is  the 
rock  over  which  the  many  stumble.  They 
perceive  Truth  mentally  and  they  can  ex- 
press the  most  beautiful  thoughts  and  theo- 
ries fluently,  but  these  have  not  become  a 
deep-seated  conviction  in  the  Soul  and  there- 
fore fail  to  produce  any  perceptible  change 
in  their  lives,  simply  because  they  do  not 
act  on  the  Truth  they  hold  nor  up  to  the 
light  they  have — they  do  not  apply  the  pow- 
er they  possess  in  a  practical  way.  They  are 
not  real,  because  they  are  professing  one 
thing  and  doing  another.  They  are  holding 
to  a  mental  perception  of  truths  which,  if 
realized  in  the  Soul,  should  be  productive 
of  the  greatest  results — which  should  make 
their  lives  all  that  is  good  and  true,  beauti- 
ful and  noble ;  and  yet,  they  will  harbor  and 
send  out,  thoughts  of  malice,  envy,  jealousy 
and  hatred — they  will  gossip  about  their 
friends  and  neighbors  in  seeming  ignorance 
of  the  fact  that  such  thoughts  will  surely 
harm  others  and  react  upon  themselves. 
This  does  not  affect  the  truth  of  these 


We  Make  It.  39 

principles  in  any  way  whatever.  It  is  simply 
a  clear  demonstration  of  the  fact  that  such 
people  are  holding  to  a  mental  perception  of 
Truth,  of  which  they  have  never  come  into 
a  conscious  realization,  and  further,  that  to 
obtain  results,  Truth  and  Power  must  be 
used  and  applied  to  life-expression  in  a  prac- 
tical way. 

Without  any  question,  it  is  within  our 
province  to  make  life  just  what  we  will,  but 
it  cannot  be  done  through  a  simple  mental 
perception  of  Truth,  nor  can  this  be  accom- 
plished in  day  or  week.  It  is  not  enough 
that  we  have  an  intellectual  perception  of 
these  most  vital  truths.  They  must  become 
a  deep-seated  conviction  in  the  Soul,  in  order 
that  they  may  externalize  themselves  so  that 
results  will  be  manifested.  Life  is  at  all 
times  just  what  we  make  it,  and  we  are  con- 
tinually, day  by  day,  consciously  or  uncon- 
sciously, determining  the  character  of  that 
which  shall  shape  our  lives. 

All  Spiritual  and  Natural  Law  is  at  all 
times  operative,  whether  we  will  it  to  be  or 
not.  If  we  are  in  ignorance  concerning  these 


40  Life  is  What  We  Make  It. 

Laws,  and  the  way  in  which  they  operate,  we 
are  on  the  negative  side  of  them,  and  they 
operate  against  us.  If  we  understand  them, 
and  bring  our  lives  into  harmony  with  them, 
they  operate  for  us,  and  we,  in  turn,  can 
operate  them,  using  them  with  intelligence 
in  bringing  about  the  conditions  we  desire. 

But  great  changes  cannot  be  brought 
about  in  a  day  or  a  week.  It  is  the  patient, 
persistent  effort,  holding  to  a  fixed  purpose 
or  ideal  that  enables  us  to  achieve  results. 
We  must  grow  into  these  things,  and  in  the 
degree  in  which  we  come  into  the  conscious 
recognition  and  realization  of  these  great 
and  fundamental  truths  will  they  come  to 
be  a  part  of  our  very  lives  and  natures  and 
will  then  the  more  naturally  express  or  ex- 
ternalize themselves. 

True  growth  and  development  is  always  by 
degrees.  Nature  teaches  us  this.  It  is  step 
by  step.  You  cannot  reach  the  pinnacle  of 
wisdom,  knowledge  and  power  at  a  bound. 
You  must  grow  into  it  by  degrees,  and  thus 
growing  into  it,  you  will  prove  your  way  and 
know  by  doing. 


How- 
Can 
I 

Help 
Myself? 


CHAPTEE  III. 

The  most  important  and  interesting  ques- 
tion that  will  occur  to  each  is  "How  can  I 
help  myself?"  What  are  the  means — what 
is  the  process  by  which  I  can  develop  my 
own  latent  powers  and  secure  the  greatest 
results  from  the  ability  which  I  possess? 
How  can  I  change  the  current  of  my  life,  or 
attain  to  greater  proficiency  in  the  callng 
which  I  have  chosen? 

The  first  step — the  starting  point  upward, 
is  to  discover  the  prime  or  controlling  factor 
in  life.  The  second  step,  and  the  one  that  is 
equally  important,  is  to  begin  at  once  to 
make  earnest  and  practical  application  of  the 
knowledge  gained.  True  growth  and  perma- 
nent advancement  comes  through  applying 
the  truth,  wisdom  and  knowledge  we  acquire 
to  every  detail  of  life  as  it  comes  to  us  day 
by  day,  and  the  degree  in  which  we  do  this, 
will  measure  the  degree  of  our  progress  and 

48 


44  Ho-w  Can  I 

development,  our  success  and  our  happiness. 

It  is  not  so  much  what  I  know,  what  power 
or  ability  I  possess,  as  it  is  how  much  knowl- 
edge, power  and  ability  I  put  into  intelligent 
and  practical  use.  I  may  possess  the  highest 
degree  of  power,  but  if  I  do  not  use  it  what 
does  it  profit  me?  It  is  not  what  we  know, 
or  what  we  possess,  but  what  we  do  and  use 
that  shapes  our  lives,  moulds  our  character 
and  conditions  our  circumstances  and  envir- 
onment, as  well  as  determines  the  measure' 
of  success  which  shall  come  to  us.  I  would 
emphasize  this  one  point;  consider  it  well — 
it  is  not  so  much  the  knowing,  as  the  doing. 

And  knowledge  comes  only  through  expe- 
rience. On  the  material  side  of  life,  we  can 
only  know  through  the  doing.  All  else  is 
belief,  which  at  times  may  amount  to  convic- 
tion, but  until  we  actually  do  a  thing,  we 
cannot  know  it.  When  we  know  a  thing 
through  doing,  that  knowledge  becomes  ab- 
solute, in  its  degree.  Then  we  know;  belief 
has  merged  into  knowledge  and  knowledge 
becomes  power. 


Help  Myself?  45 

First  you  have  belief.  Then,  through  do- 
ing, belief  merges  into  knowledge  and 
knowledge  into  power — then  what?  Apply 
that  power  intelligently  in  the  working  out 
of  the  whole  problem  of  life.  Unless  used, 
it  deteriorates.  The  only  way  you  gain  phy- 
sical strength  is  through  proper  exercise. 
The  same  is  true  here.  Using  the  knowledge 
and  power  you  have  increases  both.  If  you 
would  have  you  must  use  and  using  you  will 
have  the  more.  "To  him  that  hath  shall  be 


given." 


But  remember  one  thing:  All  power  is 
from  within,  out.  You  cannot  get  it  from 
without.  The  forces  are  within  you  and  are 
developed  through  use.  I  am  not  speaking 
of  imaginary  things,  but  of  things  that  are 
vitally  real.  There  are  forces  and  powers 
latent  within  all,  which  if  brought  into  ac- 
tion would  most  materially  change  the  con- 
ditions of  life  and  put  one  in  a  commanding 
position.  There  are  laws  governing  the 
whole  phenomena  of  life  which  are  operating 
constantly,  whether  we  will  them  to  or  not — 


46  How  Can  I 

whether  we  recognize  them  or  not.  If  we 
learn  these  laws  and  understand  them,  we 
can  then  work  in  harmony  with  them — we 
can  utilize  them  ourselves  and  thus  intelli- 
gently shape  the  course  of  our  lives.  Other- 
wise, we  are  like  a  rudderless  ship  at  sea. 

Without  the  earnest  desire  and  fixed  pur- 
pose, but  little  can  be  accomplished.  The 
study  of  "The  Science  and  Philosophy  of 
Life"  will  avail  you  but  little  if  you  take  it 
up  as  a  pleasing  philosophy  and  handle  it 
as  a  child  would  a  doll.  The  understanding 
of  the  problem  of  life  on  both  the  material 
and  the  spiritual  plane :  the  discovery  of  the 
laws  affecting  the  issues  of  life,  which  are 
constantly  operative;  the  knowledge  of  that 
which  is  the  prime  factor  in  shaping  life  in 
its  every  detail,  together  with  an  under- 
standing of  its  varied  and  manifold  opera- 
tions— these  are  things  which  are  of  vital 
importance  and  should  command  the  most 
earnest  and  serious  consideration  of  all. 

He  who  earnestly  desires  to  get  the  best 
out  of  life;  he  who  sincerely  desires  to  get 


Help  Myself?  47 

the  best  out  of  himself  and  to  attain  to  the 
development  of  those  higher  and  finer  facul- 
ties of  the  Soul  which  will  bring  him  more 
and  more  into  harmony  with  the  Divine 
Mind,  will  take  up  the  problem  and  study  it 
with  much  care  and  patience,  disabusing  the 
mind  of  all  pre-conceived  thoughts  and  opin- 
ions as  far  as  possible,  and  will  seek  truth — 
absolute  truth,  for  its  own  sake,  no  matter 
from  whence  it  may  come. 

"How  can  I  help  myself?"  The  answer 
can  be  given  in  two  words — learn  and  do. 
The  first  requisite  is  an  earnest  and  sincere 
desire — determination.  Second,  read,  study, 
think — learn.  Third,  act.  As  you  get  a 
truth,  put  it  to  a  practical  use  at  once — every 
time.  And  as  you  come  into  a  knowledge 
and  nuderstanding  of  Thought,  its  power, 
its  manifold  qualities  and  the  laws  govern- 
ilng  its  operations  begin  at  once  to  apply 
this  knowledge  to  every  phase  of  life.  No 
one  can  do  this  and  fail  to  succeed.  These 
Laws  are  universal  in  their  application  and 
are  positive  in  their  operation  under  given 


48  Ho-w  Can  I 

conditions.  Patient,  persistent  effort  is 
bound  to  win.  Be  earnest,  be  forceful — at 
all  times  be  sincere  and  true  to  your  own 
Soul  and  success  will  crown  your  efforts  be- 
yond your  expectations.  "Ask  and  it  shall 
be  given  unto  you;  seek  and  ye  will  find; 
knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you." 

But  do  not  make  the  mistake  of  expecting 
to  change  and  transform  your  whole  life, 
your  own  being  and  the  circumstances  and 
conditions  which  surround  you,  in  a  day,  a 
month  or  a  year.  It  cannot  be  done.  There 
are  no  "short-cuts"  and  here,  "the  longest 
way  around,  is  the  shortest  way  home." 
You  must  not  be  impatient,  but  rather  let 
each  new  experience,  the  new  knowledge  and 
light,  the  new  conquests  of  each  day  delight 
your  own  Soul  and  lead  you  to  more  earnest 
effort — to  a  more  fixed  determination,  in 
shaping  your  life  so  that  it  will  conform  to  a 
higher  ideals  and  be  productive  of  that 
which  will  abide  with  you  throughout  the 
eternal  ages.  Ever  remember  that  all  growth 
is  by  degrees,  hence  the  need  of  patience  and 


Help  Myself?  49 

persistence.  This  is  true  growth  and  you 
will  find  that  the  further  you  travel  along 
the  path  of  development,  the  more  rapid  will 
be  your  advancement. 

Two  things  are  absolutely  essential  to  the 
one  who  would  attain  to  the  highest  develop- 
ment that  is  possible  to  man.  First,  a  true 
and  intelligent  knowledge  of  God  through 
His  revealed  word  and  by  the  Divine  Spirit; 
second,  a  true  knowledge  of  self — of  man. 
Upon  these  will  depend  the  measure  and  sta- 
bility of  our  unfoldment  and  growth. 


Truth — 

And 

Our 

Relation 
To  It. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  most  momentous  question  ever  pro- 
pounded by  a  human  being,  was  that  of  Pi- 
late to  Christ— "What  is  Truth?" 

What  is  Truth?  From  whence  does  it 
come?  How  can  we  attain  it?  God  is 
Truth.  He  is  the  author  and  source  of  all 
Truth,  hence  all  Truth  is  Divine  and  if  we 
would  have  it,  we  must  seek  it  where  it  is  to 
be  found.  As  all  Truth  is  of  God,  so  must 
it  partake  of  His  character  and  correspond 
with  what  He  is.  Here  we  have  a  test  of 
Truth — whatever  is  not  in  keeping  with  the 
character  of  God,  or  fails  to  correspond  with 
what  He  is,  when  it  is  traced  down  to  a  final 
analysis,  can  safely  be  rejected  as  untruth. 

In  the  subjects  under  cinsideration,  we 
are  dealing  with  the  very  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  the  whole  universe,  of  all  mani- 
fested life,  as  well  as  that  which,  at  times, 
touches  the  very  life  principle  itself,  hence 

53 


54  Truth,  and  Our 

the  importance  of  knowing  the  Truth  and 
the  absolute  necessity  of  some  standard  of 
authority  by  whcih  we  can  measure  our  be- 
liefs, our  deductions  and  our  conclusions — a 
standard  by  which  we  can  measure  and  try 
all  things,  in  order  to  determine  what  is 
Truth. 

Can  the  finite  measure  the  Infinite  ?  Can 
Spiritual  Truth  be  measured  or  compre- 
hended by  the  material  faculties  alone  ?  The 
conception  and  measurement  of  Truth  is  an 
attribute  of  the  Soul,  and  is  therefore,  out 
of  the  range  of  the  purely  material  faculties 
of  the  mind. 

We  must  distinguish  between  material  and 
spiritual  Truth,  and  yet,  in  the  conception  of 
material  Truths,  the  mind  cannot  compre- 
hend them  independent  of  the  higher  facul- 
ties of  the  Soul.  The  Law  of  the  relation  of 
numbers  and  the  science  of  mathematics  is 
discerned  only  through  a  faculty  of  the  Soul, 
as  has  been  clearly  demonstrated,  and  inde- 
pendent of  these  higher  faculties  the  mind 
could  not  grasp  nor  understand  them.  For 


Relation  to  It.  55 

the  clear  conception  and  right  understand- 
ing of  any  and  all  Truth,  we  are  dependent 
upon  the  faculties  of  the  Soul. 

The  knowledge  and  understanding  of 
Truth  as  it  is  related  to  "The  Science  and 
Philosophy  of  Life"  depends  upon  the  devel- 
ment,  and  the  clearness  of  perception  of  the 
Soul  or  spiritual  faculties,  for  the  reason 
that  they  are  spiritual  Truths  and  spiritual 
Truth  can  only  be  discerned  by  spiritual 
means.  It  is  the  office  of  reason  to  distin- 
guish" and  define,  but  the  perception  of 
Truth  must,  at  all  times,  come  through  the 
Soul. 

Can  man  depend  upon  reason  and  logic 
for  a  knowledge  of  Truth  ?  How  often  does 
reason  lead  to  conclusions,  which  the  subse- 
quent discovery  of  some  new  fact  proves  to 
be  a  false  one?  The  thinker  soon  discovers 
that  he  cannot  rely  upon  either  reason  or 
logic  at  all  times  for  a  knowledge  of  Truth. 
They  are  too  often  based  upon  a  false  prem- 
ise and  in  consequence,  we  are  led  to  false 
conclusions. 


56  Truth,  and  Our 

The  necessity  of  some  standard  by  which 
we  can  measure  all  things  and  determine  the 
Truth  is  apparent.  All  Truth  exists  now  as 
it  ever  has  only  awaiting  our  perception  of 
it.  It  exists  now,  and  will  continue  to  exist 
throughout  eternity,  absolute  and  unchange- 
able. We  cannot  make  Truth,  neither  does 
our  belief  or  our  conception  of  a  thing  make 
it  Truth  or  untruth.  Our  belief  has  nothing 
to  do  with  Truth  itself,  and  it  can  in  nowise 
be  affected  by  it. 

We  mistake  our  relation  to  Truth.  It  is 
never  presented  to  us  that  we  may  decide 
upon  its  merits — whether  it  ought  to  be 
Truth,  or  whether  we  wish  it  to  be  so  or  not. 
Our  desires,  our  wishes  have  nothing  to  do 
with  it,  and  the  sooner  we  recognize  the  fact 
that  Truth  exists  entirely  independent  of 
ourselves,  our  wishes  or  our  beliefs,  and  is 
absolute — beyond  the  power  of  man  to 
change,  augment  or  detract,  the  sooner  will 
we  attain  that  spiritual  and  mental  attitude 
where  the  light  of  Divine  Truth  will  shine 
in  upon  the  Soul,  so  that  we  will  be  able  to 


Relation  to  It.  57 

discern  and  grasp  it,  and  order  our  lives  in 
accordance  with  it. 

When  man  sets  himself  up  as  "Judge  and 
Jury"  over  truth,  when  he  assumes  to  decide 
what  shall  or  shall  not  be  Truth — when  he 
tries  to  make  Truth  conform  to  his  own 
ideas  and  wishes,  he  assumes  a  wrong  atti- 
tude, shutting  out  the  light,  and  he  will  find 
himself  continually  confronted  with  difficul- 
ties which  he  can  in  no  way  surmount. 

When  he  changes  his  attitude,  and  real- 
izes that  Truth  is  absolute,  that  it  is  un- 
affected by  his  wishes,  his  desires  or  beliefs 
— that  it  exists  entirely  independent  of  him- 
self— when  he  realizes  that  Truth  can  only 
enter  the  "open  door,"  and  that  the  only  way 
he  can  attain  to  an  understanding  of  Truth 
is  through  seeking  it  for  its  own  sake;  when 
iviih  earnestness  of  purpose  and  sincerity  of 
desire  lie  seeks  to  have  his  ideas  and  opinions 
conform  to  Truth,  instead  of  trying  to  make 
Truth  conform  to  them,  then  he  has  placed 
himself  in  the  right  relation  to  Truth,  in 
correspondence  with  it,  and  will  find  it  flow- 


58  Truth,  and  Our 

ing  in,  in  the  degree  in  which  he  opens  him- 
self to  it. 

Reason  we  cannot  rely  upon,  neither  are 
we  always  in  the  position  to  determine 
whether  that  which  is  presented  or  that 
which  comes  to  us  is  of  the  higher  or  Soul 
faculties  or  not,  hence  there  is  need  of  some 
authoritative  standard  whereby  we  can  meas- 
ure things — some  guide  upon  which  we  can 
rely  in  our  search  after  Truth. 

As  authority,  as  an  exponent  of  Divine 
Truth  and  of  all  Law  which  is  applicable  to 
man  as  a  spiritual  being,  as  well  as  in  his  re- 
lation to  material  environment,  the  Bible 
stands  by  itself,  pre-eminent.  It  has  stood 
as  the  great  beacon  light  of  the  world  for 
centuries,  and  its  truths  are  clearer  and  the 
brilliancy  of  its  light  is  greater  at  this  time 
than  ever  before.  Never,  since  its  earlier 
history,  has  its  grand  Truths  been  so  opened 
up  to  man,  never  has  its  light  shown  with 
such  undimmed  brilliancy  as  at  the  present 
time.  Some  are  just  beginning  to  learn  that 
in  this  priceless  volume  there  are  vast  stores 


Relation  to  It.  59 

of  hidden  wisdom,  knowledge  and  Truth 
which  will  be  opened  up  to  those  who  seek 
them — to  those  who  place  themselves  in  the 
right  attitude  to  receive,  and  to  such  new 
light  is  constantly  coming.  Truth  which 
has  been  hidden  for  centuries  is  being  re- 
vealed and  where  darkness  has  overcast  the 
horizon  the  effulgent  light  of  eternal  Truth 
is  now  shining. 

The  earnest  Student,  the  Thinker,  the 
sincere  Investigator  will  obtain  more  light 
and  Truth  concerning  all  questions  affecting 
man  in  all  his  relations,  from  the  Bible,  than 
from  any  other  source.  There  will  be  no 
missing  links  in  the  chain.  There  will  be  no 
problem  pertaining  to  man  in  his  relations 
to  God  which  cannot  be  rightly  solved 
through  an  understanding  of  God,  His  ways, 
His  purposes  and  His  Laws  as  taught  and 
revealed  therein. 

There  is  no  Psychological  fact  known  to- 
day, no  principle  or  Truth  concerning  man, 
either  as  a  spiritual  being  or  as  concerns  him 
in  his  relations  to  his  material  environment 


60  Truth,  and  Our 

but  what  is  presented,  taught  or  exemplified 
in  Scripture,  and  the  more  he  appeals  to  it, 
the  more  he,  in  the  right  attitude  seeks  to 
wrest  from  it  its  secrets,  the  more  will  he 
come  into  a  knowledge  of  Divine  Truth. 

But  we  must  approach  any  subject  with 
an  "open  door."  It  will  not  do  to  attempt 
to  prove  or  disprove  any  given  theory  or  be- 
lief. Our  attitude  should  be  that  of  a  simple 
searcher  after  Truth,  with  the  earnest  desire 
to  know  the  real  Truth,  irrespective  of  what 
we  have  been  taught,  what  we  believe,  or  of 
our  own  preconceived  ideas  and  opinions.  In 
the  degree  in  which  we  divest  ourselves  of 
these  will  we  be  successful  in  our  search  af- 
ter Truth,  and  finding  it  be  able  to  compre- 
hend it. 

While  using  all  the  resources  within  our 
reach  as  helps,  for  the  final  Truth  we  must 
go  to  the  fountain-head,  the  source  of  all 
Truth— God  Himself,  who  is  Truth.  A  book, 
an  article  or  a  statement  from  another  be- 
comes useful  to  us,  and  powerful  in  the  de- 
gree in  which  it  serves  as  a  medium  or  con- 


Relation  to  It.  61 

necting  link  between  ourselves  and  the 
source  of  all  Truth.  They  bridge  a  gap,  and 
either  through  their  own  statements  or 
through  thoughts  awakened  in  the  mind 
place  us  in  connection  with  that  which  is  be- 
yond— the  Infinite  source  of  all  Truth.  In 
their  place  these  things  are  right  and  are 
useful  to  us,  but  we  should  never  lean  upon 
them  and  they  should  never  be  allowed  to 
supplant  nor  detract  from  the  one  grand 
source  and  authority  of  all  Truth — the  Bi- 
ble. 

The  immense  importance  of  knowing  and 
understanding  the  Truth  cannot  be  over- 
estimated when  we  consider  that  our  lives 
are  conditioned  and  formed  through  the 
Thought  we  entertain  and  hold,  and  that  the 
product  of  life  will  at  all  times  correspond 
with  the  character  of  the  Thought,  be  it 
Truth  or  untruth.  The  deductions  from  this 
are  simple  and  obvious. 

Believing  a  thing  true  or  false  does  not 
make  it  so.  But  while  our  belief  cannot 
affect  the  Truth,  it  can,  and  it  does  affect  us 


62  Truth,  and  Our  Relation  to  IL 

— our  lives,  hence  Truth  is  the  one  great 
cardinal  principle  or  corner-stone  upon 
which  the  true  and  fruitful  life  must  be 
built. 

When  Thought  is  based  upon  Truth  it  be- 
comes an  invincible  power.  Reinforced  by 
wisdom  and  knowledge,  impelled  by  a  deter- 
mined will  and  strong  desire  nothing  can 
stand  before  it.  Truth  is  stronger  than  error 
and  will  prevail. 

In  the  degree  in  which  your  concepts  of  a 
thing  are  those  of  Truth,  will  your  beliefs, 
your  reasonings,  your  logic  and  your  posi- 
tion become  invincible  and  unassailable. 

"He  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  Life" — 
and  that  light  is  Truth. 


Thought — 

The 

Key-note 

Of 

Life. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Thought  is  the  all-powerful,  all-potent 
and  never  ceasing  factor  in  the  phenomena 
of  life.  Through  it,  and  it  alone,  do  we 
build  our  character,  condition  our  circum- 
stances and  environment,  and  shape  our  des- 
tiny, here  and  hereafter.  Thought  is  back 
of  every  spoken  word,  every  impulse  and 
every  act.  It  is  the  initial  or  primal  cause 
of  all  outward  expression,  no  matter  what 
form  that  expression  may  take,  and  all  out- 
ward expression  will  as  surely  take  a  form 
that  corresponds  with  the  character  of  the 
Thought  which  is  back  of  it.  Thought  is  the 
"Key-note"  and  the  builder  of  life  for  each 
and  every  individual. 

It  is  impossible  to  measure  the  product  of 
a  Thought.  Its  possibilities  are  seemingly 
limitless.  Life  in  its  detail  and  entirety  is 
absolutely  moulded  and  fashioned  by  it.  A 
Thought  affects  you  individually,  it  corre- 

5  65 


66  Thought,  the 

lates  other  Thoughts  of  a  like  nature,  it 
attracts  Thoughts  and  things  which  are  in 
correspondence  with  it,  it  reaches  and  influ- 
ences others  for  good  or  bad.  It  is  the  basic 
principle  of  all  expression  in  material  life; 
it  is  the  agent  through  which  all  develop- 
ment, both  spiritual  and  material  is  at- 
tained. 

Thought  is  not  the  light  evanescent  thing 
which  the  masses  take  it  to  be.  We  are  com- 
ing more  and  more  to  realize  that  there  is 
much  truth  in  Prentice  Mulford's  statement 
that  "Thoughts  are  things."  Thought  is  a 
substance,  though  not  a  material  one,  and  a 
real  thing.  In  expression,  it  is  both  force  and 
motion,  vibratory  in  its  character.  It  travels 
with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  and  for  the 
fulfillment  of  its  mission  it  is  dependent 
upon  the  force  and  energy — the  intensity  of 
the  desire  that  is  back  of  it. 

When  we  come  to  realize  the  fundamental 
truth  that  a  Thought  precedes  every  act; 
that  when  followed  up,  if  a  Thought  is 
wrong,  the  act  will  be  wrong ;  and  that  if  the 


Key-note  of  Life.  67 

Thought  be  right,  the  act  will  be  right,  we 
shall  see  at  once  that  we  have  a  starting 
point  from  which  every  problem  of  life  will 
be  worked  out  in  conformity  with  the  charac- 
ter of  our  Thoughts — and  this,  whether  we 
are  conscious  of  it  or  not.  We  shall  see  that 
we  are  making  life  what  it  is,  and  that  we 
have  it  in  our  power  to  make  our  lives  what 
we  will,  through  the  intelligent  exercise  of 
this  power — that  we  can  even  condition  cir- 
cumstances and  environment  to  a  very  great 
extent,  for  bear  in  mind  that  your  life  and 
mine  are  the  result,  the  product — the  sum- 
total  of  our  past  Thoughts,  and  that  con- 
sciously or  unconsciously,  we  have  made  our 
lives  and  the  conditions  and  environment 
which  surround  us  just  what  they  are. 

We  cannot  get  away  from  this  great  truth 
and  the  sooner  we  come  into  a  vital  realiza- 
tion of  it,  act  in  harmony  with  it  and  the 
laws  operating  in  the  realm  of  Thought,  us- 
ing our  intelligence  in  shaping  our  lives,  the 
better  it  will  be  for  us.  The  sooner  then 
will  our  lives  conform  to  some  fixed  purpose 


68  Thought,  the 

or  ideal,  instead  of  being  the  result  of  aim- 
less drifting  and  the  changing  influence  of 
others  Thought  upon  us. 

Man  is  a  "Free  moral  agent."  He  has  the 
power  to  choose,  but  does  he  exercise  that 
power  and  choose,  or  does  he,  for  the  most 
part,  drift  with  the  tide  ?  Power  counts  for 
nothing  unless  we  use  it.  Neither  does  wis- 
dom nor  knowledge.  It  is  not  what  we  pos- 
sess, but  what  we  use  that  counts  for  our 
good  or  bad.  The  way  in  which  we  use  the 
power  we  possess  and  the  Thought  and  intel- 
ligence applied  in  the  use  of  it,  will  at  all 
times  determine  the  character  of  the  results. 

Thought  is  pre-eminently  the  builder  of 
life  and  character.  It  is  a  creative  and  con- 
structive force.  Just  as  brick  after  brick 
laid  in  its  place  raises  the  building  to  its 
heighth,  so  are  our  lives  and  characters 
built  up,  Thought  by  Thought.  Nothing 
has  ever  been  accomplished  by  man,  no  pro- 
gress has  ever  been  made  in  any  direction 
without  first  being  preceded  by  Thought. 
Before  the  first  stone  is  laid  in  the  founda- 


Key-note  of  Life.  69 

tion  the  building  is  complete  in  every  detail 
in  the  mind  of  the  architect,  and  as  the  char- 
acter and  quality  of  the  materials  used  will 
determine  the  character  and  quality  of  the 
building,  so  will  the  character  and  product 
of  Thought  conform  to  and  correspond  with 
thp  Thought  itself. 

Everything  exists  first  in  the  ideal  or  men- 
tal, before  it  is  manifested  in  the  material, 
and  the  tendency  of  Thought  is  to  take  form 
in  action — to  express  or  externalize  itself. 
We  constantly  act  from  our  Thoughts  and 
here  is  where  our  power  of  choice  comes  in. 
Choose  your  Thoughts  and  you  choose  your 
acts;  choose  your  acts  and  you  determine  the 
results,  and  what  shall  come  to  you.  The 
law  of  correspondence  obtains  here.  The  re- 
lation and  inter-relation  of  Thought  to  act — 
of  the  ideal  to  the  material  must  never  b6 
lost  sight  of  . 

But  do  not  make  the  mistake  of  imagining 
that  a  few  days  or  weeks  right  thinking  is 
going  to  change  the  whole  current  and  tenor 
of  your  life.  Changes  will  begin  at  once, 


70  Thought,  the 

but  remember  that  your  life,  and  you  your- 
self, are  the  product  of  your  lifelong 
Thoughts,  and  that  it  is  the  steadfast  per- 
sistency in  holding  to  a  given  line  of 
Thought  or  purpose  that  produces  the  deep- 
est impressions  and  the  desired  results.  All 
true  growth  is  by  degrees.  This  is  a  law 
of  nature  which  we  cannot  get  around.  You 
build  your  life  Thought  by  Thought,  but 
you  do  not  build  it  all  at  once.  As  you  put 
yourself  to  right  Thinking,  you  then  by  de- 
grees, begin  to  shape  your  life  in  conformity 
with  these  Thoughts  and  gradually  as  you 
persist  in  holding  to  right  Thoughts  and 
right  ideals,  will  you  find  your  whole  life, 
your  success,  your  conditions,  your  environ- 
ment and  your  friends  conforming  to  the 
character  of  the  Thoughts  you  are  holding 
to. 

Tf  your  life,  your  circumstances,  your  suc- 
cess, your  friends  are  not  to  your  liking, 
commence  at  once  to  change  the  producing 
cause — change  your  mental  attitude.  Think 
the  Thoughts,  build  the  ideals  which  you 


Key-note  of  Life.  71 

wish  to  be  externalized.  Think  of  things 
just  as  you  want  them  to  occur  and  put  en- 
ergy, force,  determination — intensity  of  de- 
sire, behind  the  Thought  and  ideal  and 
gradually  you  will  see  the  Thought  talcing 
form  in  action,  and  your  ideals  materializing 
themselves.  Kemember,  it  is  the  Thinker — 
the  trained  Thinker,  who  puts  force  and  en- 
ergy in  his  Thought  who  accomplishes  much 
in  the  world. 

All  Thought  is  bound  to  produce  a  result, 
in  the  degree  in  which  it  is  not  counteracted 
by  your  other  Thoughts,  and  here  you  see 
the  necessity  of  formulating  right  Ideals 
and  Thoughts,  and  then  holding  to  them 
firmly,  with  untiring  persistency  and  faith. 
The  more  intense  the  Thought,  the  quicker 
and  greater  the  results.  Light,  evanescent 
Thought  does  not  reach  far  beyond  the  indi- 
vidual, and  cannot  produce  any  marked  or 
specific  external  results,  though  it  has  a  de- 
cided influence  on  the  individual. 

Thought  is  the  great  "Key-note"  of  life. 
It  is  the  great  and  all-powerful  tool  with 


72  Thought,  the  Key-note  of  Life. 

which  man  carves  out  his  fortunes  or  misfor- 
tunes, and  by  which  he  pilots  his  barque 
through  the  oft-times  stormy  and  tumultu- 
ous sea  of  life.  When  youth  steps  out  upon 
life's  stage  of  action,  life's  future  is  then  as 
a  bank  of  clay:  with  "Thought"  as  his  tool 
he  goes  to  work,  and  the  product  or  result  of 
his  life,  is  the  product  or  result  of  his 
Thoughts,  and  one  corresponds  and  is  relat- 
ed to  the  other.  "As  he  Thinketh  in  his 
heart,  so  is  he" — a  clear  concise  Biblical 
statement  of  a  stupendous  Truth,  often 
quoted,  but  faintly  realized. 


Thought — 

Its 

Character 

And 

Mode 

Of 

Expression. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  knowledge  of  what  a  Thought  is,  in 
and  of  itself,  is  as  yet  beyond  us  and  its  ex- 
act nature  may  never  be  known,  but  we  can 
know  something  of  the  way  in  which  it  man- 
ifests itself. 

Thought  expresses  itself  by  force,  through 
motion,  vibratory  in  its  character,  and  is  a 
substance,  though  not  a  material  substance. 
We  must  remember  that  we  have  to  deal  with 
both  spiritual  and  material  substances,  and 
that  the  spiritual  or  unseen  is  the  real-  It 
pre-existed  and  will  continue  to  exist 
throughout  eternity,  while  material  sub- 
stance and  things  which  are  seen  are  the  re- 
sult of  existence  of  spiritual  substance — the 
product  of  it  and  are  for  time  only. 

All  students  and  investigators  will  agree 
that  Thought  is  expressed  by  force  through 
motion.  If  this  be  true,  logically  we  are  led 
to  the  conclusion  that  Thought  is  a  sub- 

75 


76  Thought,  its  Character 

stance,  for  without  substance  or  a  medium, 
without  parts  or  particles  in  that  medium, 
without  motion,  vibratory  or  otherwise,  it  is 
impossible  to  form  any  conception  whatever 
of  force  or  power. 

This  is  a  Law  of  the  mechanics  of  sound, 
heat,  light,  electricity,  etc.  Motion  and  vi- 
bration involves  a  "something"  that  moves 
or  vibrates.  What  is  that  "something  ?"  No 
one  knows,  save  that  it  is  a  spiritual  or  invis- 
ible substance. 

But  while  we  do  not  know  what  a  Thought 
is  in  and  of  itself,  we  know  that  it  expresses 
itself  by  force,  through  a  vibratory  move- 
ment or  motion  and  is  a  substance. 

When  we  think,  that  substance  is  put  in 
motion,  a  stress  or  vibratory  movement  is 
set  up  in  the  etheric  atmosphere  which  sur- 
rounds us,  similar  to  the  waves  produced  in 
casting  a  pebble  into  the  water. 

Just  as  motion  is  set  up  the  instant  the 
pebble  comes  in  contact  with  the  water,  so 
the  instant  a  Thought  is  formulated,  a  stress 


and  Mode  of  Expression.  77 

or  vibratory  movement  is  set  up  and  the 
Thought  begins  to  travel. 

The  strength  of  this  vibratory  movement 
or  Thought  wave  depends  upon  the  vigor, 
energy  and  earnestness  of  the  desire  which 
is  back  of  the  Thought. 

The  more  force  with  which  the  pebble  is 
cast  into  the  water,  the  larger,  stronger  and 
farther  reaching  are  the  waves  produced  by 
it. 

The  more  force  and  energy  put  behind 
Thought — the  more  intense  the  desire,  the 
more  earnest  the  purpose;  the  greater  be- 
comes the  power  vested  in  the  Thought,  the 
more  force  it  carries,  the  further  it  will  go 
and  the  deeper  will  be  the  impression  which 
will  be  made. 

The  more  one  can  realize  the  righteous- 
ness and  beneficence  of  his  desire  and  pur- 
pose, the  more  force  and  energy  he  can  put 
in  the  Thought,  the  greater  its  power. 

The  higher  and  more  noble  the  purpose 
and  desire,  the  more  powerful  the  Thought, 
because  of  the  finer  and  higher  rate  of  its 


78  Thought,  its  Character 

vibratory  movement.  Good  is  stronger  and 
more  potent  than  evil.. 

If  Thought  is  a  substance  as  it  is  assumed 
to  be.  and  if  no  substance  in  the  universe 
ever  ceases  to  exist,  and  every  atom  is  in  con- 
stant motion — nothing  in  the  whole  universe 
being  ever  at  rest — what  becomes  of  a 
Thought  when  once  formulated  and  sent 
out? 

Does  it  ever  cease  to  exist?  If  sent  out 
for  a  specific  purpose  will  it  accomplish 
that  purpose  and  then  continue  to  exist, 
manifesting  itself  thereafter  through  the  in- 
dividual who  received  it?  Will  Thought 
substance  once  put  in  motion  ever  cease  to 
exist,  either  by  itself  or  blending  with  other 
Thoughts  of  like  nature  ?  Close  study,  obser- 
vation and  experiments  made  along  this  line 
lead  me  to  believe  that  this  is  true;  that  a 
Thought  once  formulated,  does  not  cease  to 
exist  in  some  form,  but  the  workings  of  the 
Law  relating  to  Thought  is  so  subtile  that  it 
is  difficult  for  us  to  comprehend  it,  or  to  be- 
lieve when  we  experience  it. 


and  Mode  of  Expression.  79 

But  in  a  further  analysis  of  Thought,  we 
see  in  its  expression  two  things,  force  or  mo- 
tion, and  intelligence — a  duality.  Duality, 
pairs,  doubles  seem  to  be  one  of  the  laws  of 
the  universe.  Look  which  way  we  may,  we 
see  duality  and  opposites  manifested.  And 
Thought  is  no  exception.  In  its  expression, 
it  combines  both  force  and  intelligence. 

There  is  no  such  thing  in  the  universe  as 
an  intelligent  force  or  motion — that  is,  a 
force  or  power  which  is  in  and  of  itself  intel- 
ligence. It  is  unthinkable.  It  does  not  ex- 
ist. 

Intelligence,  in  and  of  itself  possesses  no 
force  or  power.  By  itself  alone,  it  is  with- 
out the  means  of  manifesting  or  expressing 
itself. 

Force  or  power,  by  itself  alone,  is  simply 
wasted  or  destructive  energy. 

When  force  or  power  unite  or  combine 
with  intelligence,  we  have  what  may  be 
called  in  its  manifestation,  an  intelligent 
force. 

When  this  is  understood  we  shall  see  that 


80  Thought,  its  Character,  etc. 

the  quality  of  the  intelligence  used  in  con- 
junction with  power,  governs  the  effective- 
ness of  the  Thought. 

"Knowledge  is  power,"  and  knowledge 
implies  intelligence.  The  higher  the  degree 
of  knowledge  and  intelligence,  the  greater 
the  power  at  command. 

With  the  conscious  and  intelligent  recog- 
nition of  that  power,  the  results  then  depend 
upon  the  way  in  which  it  is  used. 


Thought — 

Its 

Qualities 

And 

The 

Laws 

Governing 

Its 

Transmission. 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

We  say  that  Thought  travels — and  it  does, 
but  how  does  it  travel  ?  What  is  the  medium 
through  or  by  which  it  is  transmitted  ?  That 
a  Thought  of  one  person  will  reach  another 
is  a  fact  now  too  well  known  to  admit  of  a 
question.  Thought,  in  manifestation,  is 
both  force  and  intelligence,  with  power  to 
project  itself,  but  there  must  be  some  me- 
dium by  which  it  can  travel — wires  over 
which  the  message  may  be  conveyed. 

There  is  all  about  us,  and  permeating 
every  known  substance,  that  which  is  termed 
"Atmospheric  Ether" — a  finer,  more  highly 
attenuated  atmosphere,  and  it  is  the  consen- 
sus of  scientific  opinion  that  this  "etheric 
atmosphere"  is  the  medium  through,  by,  or 
over  which,  Thought  is  transmitted. 

And  here  I  may  as  well  say  that  it  is  my 
belief  that  all  power  in  the  universe,  no  mat- 
ter what  its  form  or  mission,  whether  mani- 


84  Thought ',  its  Qualities  and  the 

fested  in  animate  or  inanimate  nature,  is 
but  a  different  form  of  manifestation  of  one 
and  the  same  force  or  energy,  and  that  the 
initial  force  or  energy,  in  all  cases,  is  thai 
which  is  known  to  us  as  Electrical  energy. 
A  clear  conception  of  this  will  enable  us  to 
arrive  at  a  better  understanding  of  the  mani- 
fold and  complex  manifestations  of  force 
and  power,  as  well  as  to  determine  their  ori- 
gin. 

Thought  then  travels  along  the  Etheric 
Waves,  the  will,  desire,  force,  energy  and  in- 
telligence back  of  the  Thought  determining 
its  power  and  quality. 

In  its  outward  effect,  a  weak  or  negative 
Thought  cannot  produce  any  deep  impres- 
sion, for  the  reason  that  it  lacks  the  neces- 
sary force. 

It  mingles  with  the  Thought  atmosphere 
in  which  we  live,  producing  an  effect  com- 
mensurate with  the  degree  of  energy  which 
is  back  of  it. 

A  positive  energetic  Thought  produces  a 
distinct  activity  in  the  Etheric  atmosphere 


Laws  Governing  its  Transmission.        85 

about  us,  or  an  effect  on  the  individual  to 
whom  it  is  sent. 

The  intention  to  send  the  Thought  need 
not  he  present  in  order  to  have  it  reach  the 
individual.  Some  of  the  most  marked  in- 
stances of  Thought  transmission  which  I 
have  experienced,  occurred  when  there  was 
no  intention  of  sending  the  Thought,  simply 
connecting  it  with  the  person. 

It  is  my  belief  that  intensified  Thought, 
or  earnest  desire  and  purpose,  connected' 
with  the  person,  will  reach  him  better  and 
produce  stronger,  more  distinct  impressions, 
than  will  a  Thought  formulated  with  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  sending  it. 

I  believe  this  to  be  the  most  effective  way 
of  making  the  desired  impressions  upon  the 
mind  of  another,  but  it  does  not  impair  nor 
detract  from  the  fact  that  a  Thought  formu- 
lated and  projected  with  the  purpose  of 
reaching  another  will  perform  its  mission, 
in  just  the  degree  in  which  conditions  are 
favorable.  Both  methods  are  effective,  the 


86  Thought,  its  Qualities  and  the 

choice  depending  upon  the  nature  of  the  im- 
pressions which  are  sought  to  be  made. 

Thought  carries  feeling  and  distinct  im- 
pressions, other  than  the  actual  Thought  it- 
self with  it,  and  the  more  feeling,  the  more 
earnestness  put  into  the  Thought,  the  more 
will  the  impressions  made  conform  to  the 
character  of  what  is  behind  the  Thought. 

We  cannot  hold  a  Thought.  It  travels 
whether  we  will  it  to  or  not  and  the  impres- 
sions made  by-  our  Thought,  the  results  ob- 
tained, depend  upon  conditions  and  as  con- 
ditions vary,  so  will  the  results. 

And  what  are  the  conditions?  They  are 
various.  Some  are  more  psychic  or  sensitive 
than  others  and  are  the  more  easily  affected 
by  Thought  impressions.  The  more  passive 
the  person,  the  more  easily  he  can  be  influ- 
enced ;  but  when  occupied,  it  is  more  difficult 
and  the  more  intense  his  occupation  the 
more  difficult  it  becomes. 

We  can  the  more  readily  impress  those 
who  are  in  sympathy  with  us — those  whom 
we  know  personally,  and  with  whom  we  have 


Laws  Governing  its  Transmission.         87 

come  in  contact  by  the  clasp  of  the  hand — a 
form  of  greeting  that  is  not  without  its  sig- 
nificance. 

We  can  as  a  rule,  reach  one  more  easily 
while  asleep,  but  the  impressions  then  may, 
or  may  not,  rise  above  the  threshold  of  con- 
sciousness, depending  upon  the  degree  or 
depth  of  sleep.  All  are  more  or  less  affected 
by  Thought,  either  direct  or  from  the 
Thought  atmosphere  surrounding  us,  during 
the  hours  of  sleep. 

If  the  sleep  be  light  the  impressions  made 
may  take  the  form  of  a  message  from  an- 
other, but  in  the  deep  sleep  the  impressions 
made  will  seem  to  be  the  Thought  of  self. 

Because  we  do  not  see  some  external  evi- 
dence that  a  Thought  has  been  received,  er 
because  the  person  claims  to  be  unconscious 
of  having  received  any  Thought  or  impres- 
sion, it  does  not  in  the  least  indicate  that 
the  Thought  did  not  reach  him.  I  believe 
that  a  Thought  projected  to  a  person,  or  ear- 
nest Thought  connected  with  him  can  and 
does  reach  him  without  doubt,  at  all  times. 


88  Thought,  its  Qualities  and  the 

I  have  reason  to  believe  this  true,  and  while 
we  cannot  always  see  the  results  from  the 
Thought  sent,  and  the  person  is  unconscious 
of  any  impressions  having  been  made,  never- 
theless, the  Thought  reaches  him  and  makes 
an  impression,  though  he  does  not  recognize 
it. 

Thought  reaching  a  person,  and  indica- 
cations  that  it  did  reach  him,  are  two  differ- 
ent and  distinct  propositions.  Do  not  con- 
found them.  There  are  many  things  that 
may  qualify,  neutralize,  annul  or  intensify  a 
Thought  or  an  impression  which  finds  en- 
trance to  the  mind.  We  do  not  by  any  means 
act  on  all  the  Thoughts  we  have,  and  to  the 
observer  there  is  no  external  evidence  that 
we  have  such  Thoughts.  There  are  many 
things  which  must  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion in  investigating  the  Thought  realm  and 
we  must  be  careful  and  observing  if  we 
would  arrive  at  the  truth. 

We  are  living  in  a  vast  ocean  of  Thought 
which  for  aught  we  know,  may  extend  from 
this  to  other  planets.  The  higher  we  go,  the 


Laws  Governing  its  Transmission.         89 

finer  and  more  attenuated  the  atmosphere 
becomes  until  there  is  nothing  but  pure 
ether,  and  as  it  is  a  law  of  physics  that  the 
heavier  or  grosser  particles  will  always  set- 
tle at  the  bottom,  can  it  be  that  the  coarser 
and  grosser  forms  of  Thought  gravitate 
towards  the  earth,  while  the  higher  and 
finer  forms  of  Thought  are  above,  in  the 
pure  ether  which  fills  all  space?  How  nat- 
ural for  the  eye  and  mind  to  turn  upward 
when  its  concepts  are  pure,  good,  elevating 
and  enobling,  as  in  prayer !  Is  there  a  rea- 
son for  this  ? 

By  our  own  volition,  we  place  ourselves 
in  harmony — on  the  same  plane  of  vibratory 
movement — with  either  the  Higher  or  Gross- 
er forms  of  Thought.  The  natural  or  mate- 
rial man  who  lives  in  the  material  world, 
is  in  harmony  with,  and  on  the  vibratory 
plane  of  the  lower  or  grosser  Thought  realm, 
while  the  Spiritual  man,  the  one  who,  while 
in  the  material  world  and  recognizing  the 
claims  of  all  physical  laws,  lives  above  it  in 
spirit,  and  draws  his  Thought  and  inspira- 


90  Thought,  its  Qualities  and  the 

tion  from  the  higher  and  more  spiritual 
Thought  realm,  because  of  hie  living  on  a 
higher  vibratory  plane  and  in  harmony  with 
the  divine.  And  like  attracts  like. 

And  to  one  who  is  living  in  this  higher  or 
spiritual  atmosphere,  will  there  come  in- 
creased power  of  spiritual  discernment 
which  will  enable  him  to  distinguish  and  un- 
derstand more  clearly,  higher  or  spiritual 
laws,  as  well  as  the  relation  of  the  spiritual 
to  the  material. 

If  Thought,  in  manifestation,  is  vibra- 
tion, all  spiritual  law  being  universal,  it 
must  follow  that  the  conditions  governing 
vibratory  movement  in  other  things,  must 
obtain  in  the  realm  of  Thought 

Each  kind  or  quality  of  Thought  has  its 
own  specific  rate  of  vibration.  The  lower 
and  grosser  the  Thought,  the  coarser  and 
slower  the  rate  of  vibration.  The  higher 
and  purer  the  Thought,  the  higher  and  finer 
the  vibratory  movement.  In  disease,  except 
in  fever,  the  vibratory  movement  of  the  body 
is  lower  and  slower  than  in  health. 


Laws  Governing  its  Transmission.         91 

And  here  comes  in  the  Law  of  Attraction. 
"Like  attracts  like/'  Each  Thought  or 
thing  is  related  to  its  kind  and  of  necessity, 
attracts  to  it  that  which  is  related  to,  or  in 
correspondence  with  it. 

Thoughts  of  fear,  discouragement,  disease, 
vice  and  crime  which  you  may  hold  are  re- 
lated to  other  Thoughts  of  a  like  nature  and 
attract  them  to  you. 

Thoughts  of  health,  happiness,  courage, 
hope,  success  and  all  good,  relate  themselves 
to  other  Thoughts  of  a  like  nature  and  bring 
them  to  you. 

The  Laws  of  Attraction  and  Harmony  are 
"twin  brothers."  You  attract  to  yourself 
that  which  is  in  harmony  with  the  Thought 
you  hold.  Your  mental  attitude  determine? 
what  shall  come  to  you.  Do  not  forget  this. 
It  is  absolutely  true,  though  you  may  not 
see  it  now. 

If  you  enjoy  discouraging,  pessimistic 
Thoughts  and  want  them,  just  commence 
thinking  them,  and  you  will  have  them  in 
abundance.  Eeverse  this  and  think  such 


92  Thought,  its  Qualities,  etc. 

Thoughts  as  will  build  you  up  and  contri- 
bute to  your  higher  development  and  growth, 
your  health  and  success,  and  you  will  find 
these  things  coming  to  you. 

Remember  that  you  always  attract  to 
yourself  the  same  class  or  quality  of  Thought 
which  you  hold.  The  things  which  come  to 
you  will  correspond  to  your  mental  attitude 
— to  the  Thoughts  which  dominate  you,  and 
to  the  demands  of  your  Thought  realm. 
Every  moment  your  Thought  is  determining 
what  shall  come  to  you. 

"Thoughts  do  not  need  the  wings  of  words 

To  fly  to  any  goal ; 
Like  subtle  lightning,  not  like  birds, 

They  speed  from  soul  to  soul. 
Hide  in  your  heart  a  bitter  Thought, 

Still  it  has  power  to  blight ; 
Think  love,  although  you  speak  it  not, 

It  gives  the  world  more  light." 


Thought — 

Attraction 

And 

Reproduction. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

By  your  Thought,  you  condition  your  own 
circumstances,  your  success  and  your  happi- 
ness and  if  your  life  is  not  what  it  should 
be,  blame  "fate"  for  it  if  you  wish,  but  re- 
member that  "fate"  is  simply  the  product  of 
Thought.  Your  Thought  determines  your 
"fate." 

The  Law  of  Attraction  works  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Law  of  Harmony,  therefore  it 
can  only  attract  to  itself,  that  which  is  in 
harmony  with  it.  "As  he  Thinketh  in  his 
heart  so  is  he."  Why?  Because  of  the 
Laws  of  Attraction  and  Harmony !  Recog- 
nize these  Laws,  work  in  harmony  with  them 
and  you  will  have  far  less  to  complain  of — 
you  will  see  things  conforming  to  your 
ideals,  just  in  the  degree  in  which  you  are 
true  to  these  Laws  and  to  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  you  possess. 

But  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  the  persistent 

95 


96  Thought,  Attraction 

Thought,  the  fixed,  determined  purpose  that 
calls  into  existence  the  desired  result.  The 
mere  thinking  of  a  thing  for  a  day  will  not 
bring  it.  Results  may  come  quickly  at 
times,  and  again  it  may  take  weeks  or 
months  to  actualize  your  desires.  It  all  de- 
pends upon  conditions.  Never  become  dis- 
couraged, for  these  Laws  are  absolute  in 
their  operation.  It  takes  time  to  change  ex- 
isting conditions  so  that  results  are  mani- 
fest, for  there  are  opposing  and  neutralizing 
forces  which  have  to  be  taken  into  consider- 
ation. Formulate  your  desires,  fix  your 
ideals  and  then  hold  to  them  with  firmness 
and  determination,  and  know  that  in  time 
you  will  realize  and  attain  them  if  they  are 
just  and  right. 

We  are  living  in  a  vast  ocean  of  Thought 
and  we  all  add  our  quota  to  it.  We  also 
draw  from  it.  Our  Thoughts  reach  and  in- 
fluence others  and  the  Thoughts  of  others 
reach  and  influence  us.  "No  man  liveth  un- 
to himself"  is  a  divine  truth  with  a  deep  in- 
terior meaning. 


and  Reproduction.  97 

Your  Thought  relates  you  to  other  per- 
sons, though  you  may  never  have  recognized 
this  truth.  Your  happy,  cheerful,  encour- 
aging Thoughts  reach  and  help  others  and 
the  same  Thoughts  from  others  reach  and 
help  you.  As  you  sow,  so  shall  you  reap. 
You  cannot  sow  evil  Thought  and  reap  good. 
You  cannot  sow  Thoughts  of  discourage- 
ment and  reap  success.  Take  this  rule — 
think  of  things  as  you  want  them  to  occur, 
then  hold  to  it,  and  you  will  soon  see  changes 
taking  place  in  the  right  direction. 

By  virtue  of  the  Law  of  Attraction  and 
Harmony,  Thought  becomes  an  attractive 
force.  As  the  magnet  will  attract  to  itself 
that  which  is  in  harmony  or  correspondence 
with  it,  so  will  Thought  attract  to  it,  that 
which  is  in  correspondence  with  its  nature 
and  character.  We  shall  reap  what  we  sow, 
and  the  sooner  we  come  into  a  vital  realiza- 
tion of  this  Divine  Truth,  and  maintain  the 
right  mental  attitude,  the  sooner  we  will 
find  ourselves  in  the  position  where  we  can 
control  and  condition  our  circumstances  and 

7 


98  Thought,  Attraction 

environment.  Can  we  gather  figs  from  this- 
tles? 

Thought  reproduces  itself  and  in  that  re- 
production it  becomes  more  fully  developed. 
It  reproduces  its  kind.  With  the  vast  ocean 
of  Thought  surrounding  us,  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  creative,  constructive,  project- 
ing, attractive  and  reproductive  character  or 
qualit}^  of  Thought,  we  may  say  that  the  pos- 
sibilities before  us  are  the  possibilities  of  our 
Thought,  limited  only  by  the  concepts  of  the 
mind  and  of  faith.  Who  can  measure  these 
possibilities  ?  Who  can  say  what  is  impossi- 
ble ?  Where  is  the  limit  ?  You  can  do  any- 
thing you  really  believe  you  can,  if  you  will 
to  do  it,  and  persevere. 

Thought  is  the  fundamental  and  control- 
ling factor  in  life — the  initial  or  primal 
cause  of  all  outward  life  expression,  and  of 
all  that  pertains  to  man  in  his  relation  to 
his  material  environment.  The  only  limi- 
tation placed  on  our  Thought  is  the  measure 
of  our 'spiritual  perception,  and  the  wisdom 
and  knowledge  we  possess. 


and  Reproduction.  99 

Distance  is  no  barrier,  for  Thought  can 
circle  the  globe,  and  we  have  no  means  of 
knowing  to  what  extent  it  may  penetrate  the 
infinite  space  above  us.  Thought  is  instan- 
taneous in  its  movement,  hence  the  element 
of  time  does  not  enter  into  consideration. 

Mind  —  Thought,  includes  all  forces. 
Though  the  world  at  large  has  been  slow  to 
recognize  the  fact,  there  have  always  been 
some  philosophers  who  have  grasped  the 
transcendent  idea  that  Thought  is  the  first 
great  initial  and  primary  expression  of 
power  in -the  universe,  and  that  at  a  final 
analysis,  all  other  force  or  power  is  but  the 
Thought  of  God  or  man,  in  some  of  its  va- 
ried forms  of  manifestations.  We  must  rec- 
ognize the  fact  that  all  outward  manifesta- 
tion of  power  is  but  the  expression  of  that 
which  is  within,  and  that  only  that  can  find 
outward  expression  which  exists  within, 
therefore  Thought  is,  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,  the  outward  expression  of  the  funda- 
mental principle  of  life. 

A    mere    intellectual    understanding    of 


100  Thought,  Attraction 

these  principles  and  laws  will  not  of  itself, 
produce  results.  When  you  know  them, 
commence  at  once  to  make  practical  appli- 
cation of  them  in  every  detail  of  your  life. 
If  you  want  to  change  your  condition,  think 
different  conditions — such  as  you  would 
have.  If  you  want  success,  think  success. 
If  Love  and  good-will,  think  the  same,  and 
there  is  nothing  surer  than  that  sooner  or 
later  you  will  attract  to  yourself  the  things 
you  desire,  if  they  are  within  the  limits  of 
your  ability  or  comprehension. 

Thought  is  indeed  the  great  and  all-pow- 
erful tool  with  which  man  carves  out  his  for- 
tunes or  misfortunes — and  he  is  surely  and 
constantly  shaping  one  or  the  other.  The 
skill  with  which  he  uses  this  tool,  and  the 
results  obtained,  will  depend  upon  the  de- 
gree of  his  wisdom,  knowledge  and  intelli- 
gence. 

The  way  to  change  your  life  or  existing 
conditions,  is  to  change  your  mental  attitude 
— think  of  things  as  you  want  them  to  occur. 
Thought  tends  to  take  form  in  action,  and 


and  Reproduction.  101 

just  as  you  hold  to  the  right  mental  attitude 
will  you  find  your  best  and  strongest 
Thoughts  seeking  expression  through  exter- 
nal activity. 

Remember  above  all  else,  that  the  degree 
of  greatness  depends  upon  the  quality  of 
purpose.  Let  this  Thought  be  with  you  in 
all  your  thinking.  With  all  kinds,  quality 
and  grade  of  Thought  at  your  command 
from  which  to  choose,  it  is  with  you  to  say 
what  your  Thought,  and  consequently  what 
your  life  and  attainment  shall  be. 

Man  can  be  what  he  wills  to  be.  Let  the 
desire,  aims,  ambitions  and  the  ideals  be 
right,  with  earnestness  in  the  desire;  force, 
energy  and  determination  behind  the 
Thought,  and  corresponding  results  will  fol- 
low. 

The  only  limitation  placed  upon  man,  is 
that  of  the  degree  of  his  faith  or  belief. 
Think  helpful,  strengthening  and  encourag- 
ing Thoughts,  have  confidence  in  yourself 
and  in  your  ability,  and  with  the  right  ideals 


102  Thought,  Attraction,  etc. 

before  you,  persevere  in  your  determination 
to  accomplish  your  purpose. 

Thought — right  Thinking — is  the  agency 
through  which  you  will  accomplish  these 
things.  Every  scheme,  every  deed,  every  act 
has  its  birth  in  Thought.  Begin  now,  put 
in  practice  what  you  have  learned,  and  then, 
learn  more  each  day.  Think,  act  for  your- 
self. Difficulties  are  only  a  means  of  devel- 
oping your  strength  and  interior  forces. 
Never  flinch  before  them  but  face  and  over- 
come them  and  you  will  find  yourself — the 
real  self — unfolding  each  day,  and  attaining 
to  real  and  substantial  growth  and  develop- 
ment. 

How  it  is  that  Thought  acts,  that  it  ex- 
presses itself  externally,  and  that  which  is 
lack  of  Thought,  will  be  elucidated  in  the 
following  chapters  on  the  "Dual  Mind"  and 
"Law." 


Man — 

His 

Creation 

And 

Development. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

In  considering  the  subject  matter  of  this 
and  succeeding  chapters,  I  shall  adhere  to 
the  Biblical  account  of  the  creation  of  Man, 
as  well  as  to  its  definitions  of  what  man  is, 
the  purpose  of  his  creation  and  his  future 
destiny,  together  with  the  collateral  truths 
involved  in  each  sphere.  In  taking  this  po- 
sition, I  am  aware  that  I  shall  encounter  the 
criticisms  of  the  materialist,  and  of  those 
who  accept  the  theory  of  organic  evolution, 
but  criticisms  and  theories  are  of  minor  im- 
portance where  Truth  is  in  question.  I  ac- 
cept the  statements  of  the  Bible  as  being  pos- 
itive and  final,  beyond  dispute  and  not  open 
to  question,  but  a  right  understanding  and 
correct  interpretation  of  any  and  all  Scrip- 
ture, depends  upon  clearness  of  spiritual 
perception,  and  the  unbiased  desire  to  know 
the  truth  for  its  own  sake. 

It  is  foreign  to  my  purpose  to  go  into  an 

105 


106  Man,  His  Creation 

exhaustive  argument  or  examination  of  the 
different  theories  in  regard  to  the  creation 
of  Man,  nor  is  it  necessary.  I  have  given 
careful  attention  to  this  important  question, 
and  taking  into  consideration  what  I  under- 
stand from  the  Bible  to  be  the  purposes  of 
God  in  the  creation  of  Man,  His  purposes 
concerning  him  here  and  hereafter;  looking 
at  Man  as  we  know  him  to  be — a  triune  be- 
ing in  his  physical  expression  and  a  dual  be- 
ing in  mind;  viewing  him  in  his  future 
state  or  condition,  which  must  be  the  out- 
come of  necessity  of  what  he  is,  and  in  con- 
formity with  the  unchangeable  purposes  of 
God,  I  find  no  theory  regarding  his  creation 
that  will  hold  together,  outside  of  that  given 
in  the  Bible.  All  others  are  weak  in  some 
points  and  there  are  missing  links  in  the 
chain  which  render  it  complete.  The  evi- 
dence and  proof  of  this  1  cannot  submit 
here,  though  there  is  an  abundance  of  it, 
therefore  without  going  further  into  the 
question,  I  shall  assume  the  Biblical  account 
of  the  creation  of  Man,  as  well  as  its  state- 


and  Development.  107 

ments  of  what  he  is  and  of  all  that  concerns 
him. 

What  is  man?  He  who  created  him  says 
he  is  "Body,  Soul  and  Spirit."  A  clear, 
concise  and  intelligible  definition.  Here  we 
need  to  attend  to  our  interpretation  or  defi- 
nition of  words,  and  as  our  understanding 
of  a  thing  depends  upon  the  way  in  which 
we  understand  the  terms  employed,  1  will 
briefly  define  the  sense  in  which  I  shall  use 
the  terms  "Spirit"  and  "Soul." 

The  word  "Spirit"  is  a  very  broad  term 
and  has  different  meanings,  but  in  the  sense 
in  which  it  is  used  in  the  above  quotation,  I 
understand  it  to  mean  the  spirit  form — the 
counterpart  of  the  material  man,  in  other 
words,  the  Spiritual  body,  which  is  clothed 
upon  by  the  material. 

The  "Soul,"  I  understand  to  be  that  with- 
in us  which  is,  so-to-speak,  a  part  of  God, 
that  which  relates  us  to  God,  partaking  of 
His  nature  and  attributes  and  living  forever. 
In  the  language  of  Psychology,  it  is  the 
"Sub-conscious"  or  "Subjective"  mind  of 


108  Man,  His  Creation 

Man.  This  will  be  more  fully  considered  in 
a  subsequent  chapter. 

In  Genesis  1,  27,  we  read,  "So  God  cre- 
ated man  in  His  own  Image,  in  the  image  of 
God  created  He  him:  male  and  female  cre- 
ated He  them/'  Let  us  cast  aside  our  own 
ideas,  our  prejudices  and  opinions  for  the 
moment,  and  consider  this  statement  just  as 
it  reads.  God  created  Man  in  His  own  im- 
age and  likeness.  What  is  God?  A  Spirit- 
ual or  a  Material  being  ?  None  will  contend 
that  He  is  Material.  Then,  if  He  is  a  Spir- 
itual being,  Man,  created  in  His  image  and 
likeness  must  of  necessity  have  been  created 
a  Spiritual  being  also.  Let  us  not  try  to 
force  any  interpretation,  but  consider  the 
above  statement  of  the  creation  of  Man, 
with  its  clear  language,  just  as  it  reads.  As 
created  by  God,  in  His  image  and  likeness, 
Man  was  Spirit  and  Soul. 

But  how  came  he  to  be  what  we  see  him 
now?  To  fulfill  the  purpose  of  God  con- 
cerning him  as  lord  over  -i  material  creation 
— to  have  dominion  over  every  living  crea- 


and  Development.  109 

ture  upon  the  earth,  to  place  him  in  corres- 
pondence or  in  harmony  with  his  material 
surroundings,  necessity  demanded  a  mate- 
rial or  physical  body,  in  order  to  meet  the 
demands  of  life-expression  in  a  material 
world,  hence,  in  Genesis  n,  7.  we  read,  "And 
the  Lord  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the 
ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life  and  man  became  a  living  soul/' 
and  in  vs.  22,  "And  the  rib,  which  the  Lord 
God  had  taken  from  man,  made  he  a 
woman,  and  brought  her  unto  the  man."  No- 
tice that  only  in  chapter  i,  27.  where  the 
"Spiritual"  man  is  in  question,  is  the  word 
"Created"  used,  and  that  in  speaking  of  the 
material  body,  or  "house"  in  which  the  man 
is  to  dwell,  the  words  "formed"  and  "made" 
are  employed. 

Note  also  the  simultaneous  creation  of  the 
Spiritual  Man — male  and  female — in  chap- 
ter one,  and  the  separate  and  distinct  forma- 
tion of  the  physical  or  material  Man  and 
Woman  in  chapter  n.  In  chapter  I  we  find 
Man  created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 


110  Man,  His  Creation 

God,  and  in  chapter  n  we  find  God  giving 
him  a  material  body,  thus  placing  him  in 
correspondence  with  his  material  surround- 
ings. Here  we  find  the  complete  physical 
and  spiritual  man — Body,  Soul  and  Spirit. 
All  is  in  perfect  harmony,  and  our  present 
knowledge  of  what  Man  is,  conforms  to  these 
statements  as  to  his  creation. 

Created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God, 
placed  upon  this  earth  in  all  the  innocence 
and  purity  that  is  implied  by  virtue  of  his 
creation,  Man  failed  to  maintain  his  state  or 
condition  of  innocency  and  that  which  we 
term  "the  fall  of  Man"  was  the  result. 

And  what  are  we  to  understand  by  the 
"fall  of  Man  ?"  The  coming  into  the  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil.  Before  this,  Man  had 
no  knowledge  of  evil  and  knew  only  good. 
We  can  with  safety  assume  that  in  the  eating 
of  the  "fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil"  he  acquired  his  material  or  con- 
scious mind,  and  through  it,  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil.  There  can  be  no  question 
as  to  the  nature  of  that  which  constituted 


and  Development.  Ill 

the  "fall."  "And  the  Lord  God  said,  behold 
the  man  has  become  as  one  of  us,  to  know 
good  and  evil  and  now,  lest  he  put  forth  his 
hand  and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life  and  live 
forever,  etc/'  Man  had  fallen  from  his  high 
estate  of  purity  and  innocence  in  acquiring 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  to  per- 
petuate life  under  the  conditions  that  then 
obtained,  would  mean  the  perpetuation  of 
sin,  suffering  and  misery,  therefore  this 
world  is  not  the  continual  abiding  place  of 
Man.  He  enters  it  that  he  may  leave  it 
again,  but  if  he  shall  choose,  and  make  his 
life  here  what  it  should  be,  he  will  yet  again 
attain  the  life  of  innocence  and  purity  which 
he  has  forfeited,  through  a  process  similar  to 
that  by  which  he  is  first  introduced  to  us  in 
Genesis. 

With  the  "fall,"  or  with  the  acquirement 
of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  there 
came  what  we  term,  the  "Conscious  mind/' 
Before  .this,  Man  was  possessed  of  Soul,  or 
that  which  we  know  as  the  "Subconscious 
mind"  and  now  he  acquires  another  mind — 


112  Man,  His  Creation 

the  conscious  or  material  mind,  constituting 
him  mentally  a  dual  being.  With  the  Con- 
scious or  Material  mind  and  the  knowledge 
of  both  good  and  evil,  comes  the  power  of 
choice — the  "free  moral  agency  of  Man." 
While  he  now  has  the  knowledge  of  both 
good  and  evil,  he  has  the  power  to  choose  be- 
tween them  and  therefore  becomes  a  being 
responsible  for  his  own  acts  and  choice. 

First,  we  have  the  creation  of  the  "Spir- 
itual" Man,  next,  we  find  him  housed  in  a 
material  body,  to  meet  the  demands  of  mate- 
rial conditions  and  environment,  still 
clothed  with  innocence  and  purity,  then  we 
find  him  coming  into  a  knowledge  of  both 
good  and  evil,  and  at  last,  we  see  him  as  he 
now  is,  a  human  being,  with  Body,  Soul  and 
Spirit  and  his  dual  mind. 

We  must  remember  that  the  demands  of 
necessity  always  exist  before  the  creation  of 
any  thing  or  faculty.  There  is  a  cause  which 
brings  all  things  into  existence,  and  it  is  as 
essential  that  we  recognize  the  necessity  or 
cause,  as  it  is  that  we  recognize  the  thing  it- 


and  Development.  113 

self.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  understand 
Man  in  his  varied  aspects,  or  the  operations 
of  any  of  his  varied  faculties,  except  we  go 
back  of  all  and  seek  to  understand  the  neces- 
sity which  called  him  and  his  faculties  into 
existence. 

When  man  came  into  the  possession  of  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  it  was  necessary 
that  he  be  endowed  with  the  power  of  choice, 
that  he  might  choose  for  himself,  otherwise 
he  would  be  a  mere  automaton,  hence  the 
necessity  existed  for  the  material  or  con- 
scious mind,  and  now,  he  chooses  for  him- 
self. His  choice  depends  upon  his  desire  and 
purpose,  and  the  quality  of  his  desire  and 
purpose  depends  upon  the  measure  of  his 
wisdom  and  knowledge. 

Man  then,  as  we  see  him  now,  is  endowed 
with  a  Spiritual  and  Material  mind.  The 
one  identifies  him  with  the  higher  or  spirit- 
ual realm,  the  other  with  this  world  and  ma- 
terial life.  He  is  possessed  of  the  power  of 
choice  and  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil. 
He  has  within,  the  promptings  of  good; 


114  Man,  His  Creation 

from  without,  the  promptings  of  evil.  ]N~ow, 
what  he  becomes  depends  altogether  upon 
the  choice  he  makes. 

In  the  Conscious  and  Subconscious  minds, 
man  is  provided  with  every  faculty  needed 
to  meet  the  requirements  of  his  surround- 
ings and  environment.  What  he  becomes 
will  depend  entirely  upon  the  faculties  he 
unfolds  and  the  way  in  which  he  develops 
them.  As  we  meet  him  in  the  ordinary  walks 
of  life,  he  has  developed  his  Conscious  or 
objective  faculties  at  the  expense  of  the  Sub- 
conscious or  Spiritual,  hence  he  is  slow  to 
perceive  Spiritual  truth,  but  quick  to  grasp 
the  material.  Indeed,  the  Spiritual  realm  is 
unreal  to  him,  and  he  can  only  perceive  that 
which  appeals  to  him  through  the  five  phy- 
sical senses. 

This  is  one-sided  development.  A  sym- 
metrical development  demands  the  cultiva- 
tion and  use  of  both  our  material  and  Soul 
faculties,  but  in  the  intense  material  and 
commercial  atmosphere  which  surrounds 
man,  he  becomes  almost  oblivious  to  the  ex- 


and  Development.  115 

istence  of  the  finer  and  higher  faculties  of 
the  Soul,  and  thus  choosing,  he  fails  in  the 
almost  limitless  possibilities  which  are  his. 

Before  man  can  reach  the  highest  degree 
of  development  of  himself  or  of  his  own 
powers,  he  must  know  and  understand  what 
he  is.  The  measure  of  his  attainment  will 
be  the  measure  of  his  knowledge  of  God  and 
his  understanding  of  the  various  faculties 
and  powers  of  the  Conscious  and  Subcon- 
scious minds,  the  Laws  governing  them,  and 
the  use  he  can  and  does  make  of  them. 

Man  know  thyself.,  is  an  admonition 
which  we  will  do  well  to  heed. 


The— 

Dual 

Character 

Of 

The 

Mind. 


CHAPTEK  X. 

In  order  to  understand  the  varied  and 
complex  activities  of  the  mental  faculties  in 
their  relation  to  Spiritual,  Physical  and  Ma- 
terial life-expression,  their  powers  and  pos- 
sibilities, it  is  necessary  to  understand  and 
fully  recognize  the  Dual  character  of  the 
Mind.  While  "Thought"  is  in  truth  the 
"Key-note"  of  life,  the  "Dual  Mind"  may 
justly  be  termed  the  great  "key-stone"  in  the 
arch  of  manifested  or  expressed  life. 

The  phenomena  of  life  cannot  be  at  all 
correctly  interpreted  until  the  Dual  charac- 
ter of  the  mind  is  both  recognized  and  un- 
derstood. It  is  immaterial  to  us  at  this 
point  whether  the  mind  of  man  is  Dual — 
two  minds — or  whether  he  has  one  mind 
with  dual  faculties,  as  our  present  purpose 
is  fully  served  in  recognizing  the  broad  fact 
that  the  mind  is  Dual  in  its  character  and 
operations.  The  Duality  of  the  mind  is 

119 


120  The  Dual  Character 

demonstrated  beyond  question  in  the  phe- 
nomena of  so-called  "Hypnosis,"  where  the 
Conscious  mind,  or  the  Conscious  faculties 
are  held  in  abeyance  and  the  Subconscious 
mind  only  is  active. 

While  the  Dual  mind  can  be  recognized 
and  its  operations  noted  in  ones  self  and  in 
others  in  the  waking  state,  by  those  who  have 
made  a  study  of  it,  the  condition  known  as 
"Hypnosis"  affords  the  best  opportunity  for 
distinguishing  more  clearly  its  distinct  op- 
erations. 

The  Doctor  of  Psychology  in  active  prac- 
tice, who  is  also  a  sincere  and  earnest  inves- 
tigator, has  perhaps  the  best  opportunity  for 
the  study  of  the  complex  activities  of  the 
mental  faculties,  coming  as  he  does  in  con- 
tact with  his  patients  in  a  practical  way  and 
not  for  experiment.  Only  those  who  have 
made  a  study  of  man  under  these  conditions 
can  form  more  than  a  faint  conception  of  the 
wonderful  and  transcendent  powers  of  the 
Soul,  of  the  clear  distinction  which  exists 
between  the  Conscious  and  Subconscious 


of  The  Mind.  121 

mind,  or  of  how  they  often  war  against  each 
other  in  their  complex  and  subtile  activities. 

The  average  person  has  not  the  faintest 
idea  as  to  how  he  is  controlled  or  actuated 
in  his  life-expression,  nor  can  he  have  until 
he  recognizes  the  existence  of  the  Dual  mind 
and  understands  its  operations.  When  he 
comes  into  this  knowledge  he  enters  a  new 
sphere  of  existence  where  a  light  of  exceed- 
ing brilliancy  is  shining  and  life  assumes  a 
different  aspect.  He  understands  much  in 
his  life  which  has  been  unintelligible  to  him 
and  he  comes  to  understand  how  he  can  ex- 
ercise a  control  over  himself  and  over  all 
that  concerns  him. 

While  it  is  only  in  recent  years  that  this 
great  truth  of  the  Dual  mind  has  come  to 
be  at  all  generally  recognized,  there  have  al- 
ways been  those  who  have  recognized  its  ex- 
istence and  understood  its  operations  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent.  The  Bible  teaches  it 
from  first  to  last  and  the  light  has  been  shin- 
ing all  along,  but  man  blinded  by  his  own 
conceits  would  not  see  it.  At  last  scientific 


122  The  Dual  Character 

experiments  have  demonstrated  the  fact  be- 
yond dispute  and  it  is  no  longer  questioned 
by  those  who  lay  prejudice  aside  and  ap- 
proach the  subject  with  the  desire  to  know 
the  facts.  It  is  not  a  "New"  truth,  for  in 
the  Scriptures  will  be  found  the  thread  of 
Duality  of  Mind  and  Duality  of  Being  run- 
ning from  beginning  to  end. 

That  man  is  not  only  possessed  of  a  Dual 
Mind,  but  also  of  a  complete  dual  being,  is 
plainly  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  "There  is 
a  natural  body  and  there  is  a  spiritual 
body."  (1st  Cor.  XV,  44.)  Through  the 
influences  of  our  material  teachings  and  en- 
vironment we  have  come  to  regard  the  phy- 
sical being  as  the  real  and  only  man,  while 
the  truth  is  there  is  in  each  and  every  indi- 
vidual both  the  Spiritual  and  Material  man, 
each  complete  in  himself  and  each  possess- 
ing distinct  faculties. 

There  is  no  field  which  promises  richer 
reward  for  sincere  and  painstaking  study 
and  investigation,  than  that  covered  by  the 
Dual  mind,  with  its  transcendent  powers 


of  The  Mind.  123 

and  the  manifold  operations  of  its  faculties. 
In  the  degree  in  which  we  discern  and  un- 
derstand the  operations  of  both  the  Con- 
scious and  Subconscious  mind,  will  we  come 
to  understand  and  realize  the  vast  possibili- 
ties which  are  within  the  range  of  our  at- 
tainment. The  field  is  broad  and  seemingly 
without  limit,  and  the  reward  promised  for 
its  exploration  is  great  indeed. 

But  the  one  who  pursues  his  investiga^ 
tions  purely  from  a  scientific  standpoint, 
with  certain  subjects  for  experimental  pur- 
poses, will  not  discover  the  deepest  truths. 
He  will  make  some  progress  and  will  attain 
his  purpose  in  a  degree,  but  the  highest  and 
most  transcendent  truths  will  be  reserved  for 
those  who  have  the  opportunity  for  study 
and  investigation  in  connection  with  actual 
and  practical  work,  in  treating  the  large  va- 
riety of  people  that  come  within  the  field  of 
the  practitioner  of  Suggestive  Therapeutics, 
and  who  is  able  to  study  all  from  a  spiritual 
standpoint,  discerning  spiritual  things  by 
spiritual  means. 


124  The  Dual  Character 

From  such  we  may  hope  for  much  that 
will  throw  additional  light  upon  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Dual  mind,  as  well  as  upon  all 
the  phenomena  of  life,  and  the  whole  subject 
merits  the  most  painstaking  care  and  inves- 
tigation, 

Not  until  we  know  and  understand  our- 
selves as  we  are,  our  capabilities  and  our 
powers  will  we  be  able  to  govern  and  control 
ourselves,  our  circumstances  and  our  envir- 
onment, nor  will  we  be  able  to  get  the  most 
and  best  out  of  ourselves,  therefore  the 
greatest  study  of  mankind  is  man,  and  the 
more  we  study  him,  the  better  will  we  un- 
derstand the  attainments  which  are  possible 
to  him  through  the  unfoldment  and  develop- 
ment of  the  faculties  and  powers  which  are 
within  him. 

It  is  difficult  to  find  a  term  that  properly 
expresses  the  true  nature  and  functions  of 
the  two  minds,  but  I  shall  use  the  term  "Sub- 
conscious mind"  to  designate  that  which  we 
know  as  the  Soul,  or  Soul  Intelligence;  and 
"Conscious  mind"  to  express  that  which  we 


of  The  Mind. 


125 


understand  as  the  natural  or  material  mind : 
and  as  many  become  confused  by  the  multi- 
plicity of  the  terms  used  to  express  the  same 
thing,  I  will  give  those  which  are  used 
synonymously. 


THE 
CONSCIOUS  MIND. 


Objective  mind. 
Natural  mind. 
Mortal  mind. 
Material  mind. 


THE 

SUBCONSCIOUS   MIND. 


Soul. 

Unconscious  mind. 
Subjective  mind. 
Oversoul. 
Subliminal  Self. 


The — 

Conscious 
Mind. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

From  the  moment  of  birth,  we  are  ush- 
ered into  an  atmosphere  which  is  thoroughly 
impregnated  with  influences  and  Sugges- 
tions from  the  Material  world  in  which  we 
live,  and  in  a  degree  which  is  in  keeping  with 
the  development  of  our  intelligence,  begin  to 
come  under  the  dominion  of  the  material 
senses  or  the  Conscious  mind.  The  power 
and  extent  of  this  dominion  increases  with 
our  growth  and  our  years,  except  as  it  may 
be  changed  or  neutralized  through  the  devel- 
opment of  our  higher  faculties. 

The  Conscious  mind  pertains  to  our  mate- 
rial existence  only ;  it  is  governed  by  the  five 
physical  senses,  and  is  the  necessary  out- 
growth of  our  material  existence. 

The  principal  faculty  of  the  Conscious 
mind  is  that  of  reason.  It  reasons  by  all 
methods — inductively,  from  particulars  to 
general  conclusions;  deductively,  from  con- 

9  120 


130  The 

elusions  to  particulars ;  analytically  and  syn- 
thetically, but  inductive  reasoning  is  exclu- 
sively a  faculty  of  the  Conscious  mind  and 
is  a  faculty  pertaining  to  this  life  only,  ren- 
dered necessary  by  the  limitation  of  our 
knowledge. 

The  other  faculty  of  the  Conscious  mind 
is  that  of  Recollection.  Many  attribute 
some  phases  of  memory  to  the  Conscious 
mind,  but  my  investigations  lead  me  to  be- 
lieve that  all  memory  rests  with  the  Subcon- 
scious mind  and  that  that  which  is  regarded 
as  the  memory  of  the  Conscious  mind  is  but 
the  manifestation  of  its  powers  of  recollec- 
tion. 

I  believe  that  a  close  analysis  will  show 
that  Inductive  reasoning  and  Recollection 
are  the  only  two  faculties  possessed  by  the 
Conscious  mind,  and  that  all  else  is  but  the 
activities  of  the  Subconscious  mind  express- 
ing itself  through  one  of  these  Conscious 
faculties. 

The  Conscious  mind  takes  cognizance  of 


Conscious  Mind.  131 

the  outward  or  material  world,  and  its  media 
of  observation  arc  the  five  senses. 

It  is  our  guide  in  the  struggle  for  material 
existence.  When  we  are  dominated  by  it, 
we  are  led  towards  an  increasing  material-" 
ism  and  come  to  believe  that  nothing  is  real 
or  worth  our  effort,  except  that  which  ap- 
peals to  us  through  the  five  senses,  but  in  the 
degree  in  which  it  is  brought  under  the  con- 
trolling influences  of  the  Soul  faculties  or 
Subconscious  mind,  we  come  more  and  more 
under  the  dominion  of  this  higher  intelli- 
gence and  the  Conscious  mind  becomes  sub- 
ordinate to  the  Subconscious  mind,  its  facul- 
ties being  illuminated  by  the  light  and  in- 
telligence of  the  Soul. 

The  Conscious  mind  is  governed  by  rea- 
son, but  the  clearness  and  correctness  of  its 
reasonings  are  determined  by  the  degree  of 
knowledge  and  intelligence  possessed  by  the 
individual,  and  also  by  the  illumination  af- 
forded through  the  spiritual  faculties  of  the 
Soul.  It  is  difficult  to  control  one  contrary 
to  reason,  but  this  can  be  done  by  persistent 


132  The 

effort,  in  the  degree  in  which  the  Cxinscious 
mind  can  in  some  way  be  held  in  abeyance, 
so  that  the  influence  or  Suggestion  can  be 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  Subconscious 
mind.  We  see  this  constantly  and  it  illus- 
trates the  wonderful  power  of  Suggestion 
even  in  the  waking  state  and  at  the  same 
time  shows  us  that  the  Subconscious  mind 
can  be  controlled  contrary  to  reason  and 
judgment,  when  we  are  living  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  Conscious  mind. 

In  a  sense,  the  Conscious  mind  is  the 
guard  or  sentinel  who  says  what  shall  pass 
and  reach  the  Subconscious  mind,  and  in  the 
understanding  of  this  one  point  lies  the  se- 
cret of  knowing  how  to  influence  and  con- 
trol others.  Before  a  person  can  be  influ- 
enced to  action,  the  Subconscious  mind  must 
be  reached,  either  through  argument  which 
is  convincing  to  the  Conscious  mind,  or 
through  is  inalertness.  We  must  remember 
that  the  Conscious  mind  challenges  what 
does  not  appeal  to  reason  and  that  the  nat- 
ural man  is  governed  by  reason,  whether  it 


Conscious  Mind.  133 

be  true  or  false  and  that  the  reasonings  of 
the  Conscious  mind — the  natural  man — can- 
not be  relied  upon  because  it  is  purely  mate- 
rial and  can  only  perceive  things  from  a  ma- 
terial standpoint  and  because  of  its  natural 
limitations. 

The  one  who  is  dominated  by  the  Con- 
scious mind  becomes  more  and  more  mate- 
rial, hence  the  more  material  he  grows  the 
less  of  the  spiritual  he  can  discern  and  the 
more  difficult  it  becomes  for  him  to  grasp 
anything  but  that  which  appeals  to  his  ma- 
terial senses. 

The  man  who  is  dominated  by  the  Sub- 
conscious mind  becomes  more  and  more 
spiritual,  with  increasing  clearness  of  spir- 
itual discernment  as  development  progresses, 
discerning  Spiritual  things  by  Spiritual 
means;  and  as  he  comes  to  understand  that 
the  material  exists  only  by  reason  and  virtue 
of  the  pre-existence  of  the  Spiritual,  Reason 
becomes  enlightened  by  the  Spiritual  facul- 
ties, he  stands  upon  the  foundation  of  Truth 
and  Wisdom  which  is  absolute  in  the  degree 


134  The 

which  is  commensurate  with  his  develop- 
ment, and  he  cannot  be  swayed  or  influenced 
contrary  to  that  which  he  knows  is  Truth. 

We  are  Spiritual  or  Material  in  the  de- 
gree in  which  we  are  governed  by,  or  living 
under  the  dominion  of,  the  Conscious  or 
Subconscious  mind.  One  leads  to  Spiritu- 
ality and  the  perception  and  understanding 
of  the  unseen,  while  the  other  leads  to  an 
intense  Materialism  which  obscures  the  Soul 
faculties,  and  prevents  us  from  discerning 
anything  but  that  which  appeals  to  us 
through  the  material  senses. 

The  Conscious  mind  was  given  us  for  a 
purpose  and  it  should  by  all  means  be  culti- 
vated, though  not  by  itself  alone.  It  pos- 
sesses faculties  of  great  value  to  us  if  prop- 
erly used,  but  its  highest  use  and  value  is 
attained  through  a  corresponding  develop- 
ment of  the  Subconscious  mind. 

The  highest  development  cannot  be  at- 
tained through  the  Conscious  mind,  for  the 
reason  that  the  physical  senses  only  give  us 
relative  knowledge  and  that  through  these 


Conscious  Mind.  135 

senses  we  can  perceive  only  that  which  per- 
tains to  the  material  world,  which  is  itself 
but  a  consequence  of  the  existence  of  tha 
Spiritual,  therefore  in  limiting  ourselves  to 
the  Material,  we  are  limiting  our  knowledge 
and  intelligence  to  the  effect,  the  cause  of 
which,  is  the  Unseen  or  Spiritual  realm. 

But  in  the  development  of  the  Subcon- 
scious mind,  we  come  into  the  knowledge  of 
that  which  is  the  first  great  cause  of  all  that 
exists,  and  are  able  to  measure  and  judge  of 
things  from  a  standpoint  which  gives  us  a 
clear  and  correct  understanding  of  both  the 
Spiritual  and  the  Material  side  of  life.  We 
discern  cause  and  effect;  we  come  into  a 
knowledge  of  Laws  which  are  incessantly  op- 
erating, by  which  our  lives  are  controlled 
independent  of  our  knowledge,  wishes  or  be- 
liefs; Eeason  and  Intelligence  is  illuminat- 
ed by  the  light  of  Divine  or  Spiritual  Truth, 
and  we  find  our  whole  life-expression  con- 
forming to  a  higher  standard  of  living, 
through  being  actuated  by  a  higher  order  of 
intelligence. 


136  The  Conscious  Mind. 

All  the  powers  and  attributes  of  the  Con- 
scious mind  should  be  cultivated  and  devel- 
oped, but  this  should  be  done  under  the 
guidance  of  the  Spiritual  faculties.  We 
must  recognize  the  fact  that  Spiritual  pow- 
ers transcend  the  material;  that  the  Sub- 
conscious mind  or  Soul,  in  its  powers  and 
attributes,  transcend  the  Conscious  or  Mate- 
rial, hence  if  we  would  attain  that  position 
where  we  can  have  the  highest  conceptions 
of  life,  and  grasp  the  possibilities  which  are 
before  us,  the  Conscious  mind  must  be  de- 
veloped under  the  light  of  the  higher  facul- 
ties of  the  Soul. 

In  the  Ideal  life,  true  development  and 
growth  consists  in  the  harmonious  develop- 
ment of  the  mental  faculties  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  higher  or  Spiritual  faculties 
of  the  Subconscious  mind. 


The — 

Subconscious 
Mind. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

The  chief  factor  in  human  existence,  the 
underlying  cause  of  all  physical  and  mate- 
rial expression,  which  is  back  of  Thought,  of 
Will  and  of  Act,  is  the  Subconscious  mind. 
In  all  phases  of  life,  as  it  is  related  to  the 
Spiritual,  the  Material  or  the  Physical,  we 
are  called  upon  to  reckon  with  and  consider 
this  clear-seeing,  never-sleeping  and  far- 
reaching  Intelligence  which  is  within  us, 
the  "Subconscious  Mind"  —  the  "Inner 
Man." 

There  is  absolutely  no  way,  no  state  or 
condition  in  .which  we  can  escape  from  the 
ceaseless  activities  and  controlling  influences 
of  this  great  and  potential  intelligence.  It 
matters  not  whether  we  recognize  or  under- 
stand its  existence,  it  is  with  us  and  opera- 
tive just  the  same  in  its  potency  and  power, 
and  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  measure  mo- 
tive, or  understand  that  silent  and  subtld 

139 


140  The 

influence  which  controls  us  in  all  we  do,  un- 
til we  come  into  a  knowledge  and  under- 
standing of  the  Subconscious  mind,  its  pow- 
ers, and  the  Laws  which  govern  its  activity. 

And  what  is  this  which  we  term  the  "Sub- 
conscious Mind?"  It  is  the  mind  that 
never  sleeps  and  which  is  unceasing  in  its 
activities.  It  is  that  intelligence  within  us 
which  is  not  the  result  of  education;  which 
takes  us  beyond  ourselves,  and  which  per- 
ceives Truth  independent  of  the  material 
senses,  or  of  others.*  In  a  word,  it  is  the 
Soul  of  man,  which  lives  forever — the  inner 
man,  whose  habitation  throughout  this  ma- 
terial existence  is  this  material  body  which 
we  have  been  in  the  habit  of  assuming  to  be 
the  real  self. 

The  attributes,  qualities,  functions  and 
powers  of  the  Subconscious  mind,  or  Soul, 
are  varied  and  potential,  transcending  all 
else  in  the  range  of  its  operations,  both  in 
the  mental  and  material  spheres. 

*For  a  more  detailed  treatment  of  this  subject,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  Hudson's  "  Law  of  Psychic  Phenom- 
ena," to  be  had  of  any  bookseller. 


Subconscious  Mind.  141 

While  the  Soul  is  (for  want  of  a  better 
term)  the  "God  principle/'  or  the  "God  life" 
within  us,  it  is  not  God,  and  never  will  be. 
The  creature  can  never  equal  the  creator, 
else  being  equal  with  God,  he  would  be  a 
God  himself  and  there  is  now  and  always 
will  be  but  one  God.  We  must  make  this  dis- 
tinction full  and  clear,  for  while  the  Soul 
does  possess  some  of  the  attributes  and  pow- 
ers of  God,  it  never  can,  in  its  most  perfect 
state,  be  equal  with  Him.  To  hold  that  the 
Soul  is  essentially  God  is  a  serious  error 
which  involves  others  equally  serious. 

The  first  and  perhaps  most  important  fac- 
ulty of  the  Soul,  is  that  of  "Intuition," 
which  is  the  perception  of  fundamental  Law 
or  Truth,  independent  of  the  five  physical 
senses,  or  of  reason.  It  is  the  Soul's  highest 
power  and  it  is  through  it  that  the  knowl- 
edge and  perception  of  all  divine  or  spiritual 
Truth,  as  well  as  the  experiences  and  emo- 
tions of  the  Soul  are  brought  over  to  con- 
sciousness. It  is  the  way  or  means,  and  the 
only  way  or  means  whereby  we  can  come  in- 


142  The 

to  a  knowledge  of  God,  or  by  which  we  can 
perceive  spiritual  Truth. 

It  is  through  Intuition  that  man  receives 
an  intimation  of  wisdom,  of  knowledge  and 
of  truth  which  is  beyond  him,  into  which  he 
may  grow,  if  he  will  but  heed  and  act  on  its 
promptings.  It  is  the  way  in  which  God 
speaks  to  man,  through  which  Divine  wis- 
dom, knowledge  and  inspiration  is  received. 
It  is  the  most  transcendent  and  sublime  at- 
tribute of  the  composite  man. 

The  faculty  of  Deductive  Seasoning  be- 
longs also  to  the  Soul,  and  is  an  attribute  of 
God.  It  is  reaching  general  conclusions 
from  the  instantaneous  perception  of  the 
conclusion,  or  of  general  Laws  and  fixed 
principles — reasoning  from  a  conclusion  to 
particulars.  The  Subconscious  mind  cannot 
reason  inductively. 

God  cannot  be  said  to  reason  inductively 
(a  faculty  of  the  Conscious  mind)  for  the 
reason  that  such  would  imply  a  limitation  of 
knowledge.  His  reasoning — if  God  can  in- 
deed be  said  to  reason — is  deductively,  from. 


Subconscious  Mind.  143 

an  infinite  knowledge  of  all  Truth,  all  law 
and  principle,  and  this  faculty  of  the  Soul 
is  essentially  divine. 

Memory  is  a  faculty  of  the  Soul,  and  is 
absolutely  perfect.  This  is  well  demonstrat- 
ed in  the  condition  known  as  "Hypnosis/' 
where  with  the  conscious  mind  in  entire 
abeyance,  memories  of  events  which  have 
passed  entirely  out  of  the  range  of  the  Con- 
scious mind  can  be  readily  recalled  by  the 
subject.  Authentic  instances  are  recorded 
where  persons  have  spoken  a  language  with 
which  they  were  never  familiar  save  through 
association  in  childhood.  Memory  is  an  ex- 
clusive faculty  of  the  Soul,  but  its  events 
can  be  called  to  consciousness  through  the 
faculty  of  Eecollection  of  the  Conscious 
mind. 

The  Soul  is  the  seat  of  the  emotions. 
Love,  Joy,  Anger,  Kemorse — emotions  both 
good  and  bad  emanate  from  it.  This  may 
seem  a  startling  statement  to  those  who  have 
considered  the  Soul  as  being  essentially  pure 
and  Divine  and  that  only  good  is  possible 


144  The 

from  it,  but  the  statement  is  true,  as  we 
shall  see. 

It  is  amenable  to  the  Law  of  Dictation  or 
Suggestion,  and  this  is  a  most  important 
truth.  W e  cannot  understand  the  phenom- 
ena of  life  until  we  understand  this  great 
truth  or  Law.  It  explains  many  of  the  inner 
mysteries  of  life  and  teaches  us  how  we  are 
actuated  and  controlled  in  what  we  say  and 
do. 

By  reason  of  its  material  environment, 
the  Soul  is  under  the  Law  of  Suggestion. 
While  it  was  originally  pure  and  divine,  by 
reason  of  its  being  under  the  Law  of  Sug- 
gestion it  becomes  colored  or  tainted  by  the 
thoughts  and  beliefs  of  the  parents  from  be- 
fore birth — commonly  called  heredity — and 
when  it  is  ushered  into  this  world,  it  be- 
comes increasingly  colored  and  tainted  by 
the  impressions  made  upon  it  through  the 
suggestive  character  of  its  material  sur- 
roundings, and  as  we  come  to  understand 
this  important  truth,  we  can  see  how,  in  life, 
both  good  and  bad  can  emanate  from  the 


Subconscious  Mind.  145 

Soul  and  how  it  is  that  man  is  born  in  sin 
and  needs  washing  before  he  can  be  clean. 

So  long  as  the  Soul  inhabits  this  material 
house,  so  long  is  it  under  the  Law  of  Sug- 
gestion and  bound  by  that  Law  to  act  in  con- 
formity with  the  character  of  the  impres- 
sions made  upon  it.  It  cannot  do  otherwise, 
for  the  Law  is  absolute,  though  in  consider- 
ing this  we  must  take  into  account  the  modi- 
fying, neutralizing  and  changing  influences 
of  contrary  suggestions,  in  order  to  correctly 
understand  the  operations  of  this  Law;  but 
while  the  Soul  is  bound  by  the  Law  to  ex- 
press itself,  and  we,  in  consequence  are 
bound  to  act,  from  the  impressions  made 
upon  it,  we  have  the  power  to  choose  the 
character  and  nature  of  the  Suggestions  or 
Impressions  upon  which  it  must  and  will,  at 
all  times  act.  Man  is  a  "free  moral  agent/' 
with  full  power  to  choose;  and  understand- 
ing this,  and  intelligently  and  consciously 
choosing  the  nature  and  character  of  the 
Suggestions  upon  which  the  Subconscious 
mind  acts,  he  chooses  and  determines  what 
10 


146  The 

his  life,  his  success,  his  health  and  his  hap- 
piness, as  well  as  what  his  future  destiny 
shall  be. 

Still  another  faculty  of  the  Soul  is  that 
which  is  known  as  "Telekinetic  Energy"- 
the  power  of  the  Soul  over  matter,  even  to 
transcending  the  laws  of  nature.  Instances 
are  on  record  where  man,  through  this  power 
which  is  resident  in  the  Soul,  has  moved 
ponderable  objects  with  and  without  con- 
tact, and  in  the  Orient  there  are  religious 
sects  who  in  their  ceremonies,  walk  over 
white  hot  stones  in  the  bare  feet,  without  so 
much  as  a  scar.  The  common  experiment 
of  two  or  more  persons  lifting  another  with 
the  fingers  illustrates  this  same  power,  and 
the  rappings,  moving  of  tables,  slate  writing 
and  materializations  accredited  as  "spirit 
phenomena"  can  be  accomplished  through 
thic;  same  agency. 

All  power  as  manifested  through  man,  is 
resident  in  the  Soul,  and  the  more  fully  this 
is  recognized,  the  more  the  powers  of  the 
Soul,  and  the  Laws  under  which  it  operates 


Subconscious  Mind.  147 

are  understood,  the  more  and  better  will  we 
be  able  to  use  them  for  our  material  and 
spiritual  advancement.  The  more  intelli- 
gence employed  in  their  use,  the  greater  and 
more  effective  will  be  the  results  obtained 
and  the  more  will  we  discover  the  vast  possi- 
bilities which  are  within  our  reach  and  be 
able  to  avail  ourselves  of  them. 

Faith  is  an  attribute  of  the  Soul.  This 
is  the  Faith  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
taught  and  insisted  upon,  and  is  the  only 
faith  which  will  accomplish  that  which  He 
said.  It  is  the  conviction  or  evidence  of 
things  not  seen,  but  fully  believed  and  ac- 
cepted by  the  Soul.  It  is  this  faith  of  which 
He  said,  "According  to  your  faith  be  it  unto 
you/'  and  again,  "All  things  are  possible  to 
him  who  believeth."  He  who  has  this  faith 
can,  without  doubt,  do  that  which  he  be- 
lieves he  can  do. 

.  Telepathic  power  is  also  an  attribute  of 
the  Soul.  Whether  we  are  conscious  of  it  or 
not,  Soul  communicates  with  Soul,  and  Tel- 
epathy is  the  normal  means  of  comimmica- 


148  The  Subconscious  Mind. 

tion  between  Subconscious  minds.  The  more 
we,  through  a  recognition  of  this  fact,  come 
to  look  for,  and  cultivate  this  faculty,  the 
more  will  we  realize  its  existence  and  be 
able  to  employ  it. 


The— 

Subconscious 

Mind; 

Its 

Functions 

And 

Operations. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

In  a  previous  chapter,  we  have  seen  that 
"Thought"  is  the  tool  with  which  we  shape 
our  life  and  destiny,  and  now  we  discover 
that  which  is  yet  back  of  Thought ;  the  deep, 
underlying  and  most  potential  factor  in  hu- 
man existence — the  Subconscious  mind  or 
Soul,  with  its  transcendent  powers  and  in- 
telligence. 

We  need  to  analyze  the  underlying  causes 
which  prompt  and  promote  action  and  con- 
scious thought  as  well.  Until  we  do  this,  we 
cannot  fathom  motive  or  impulse,  nor  can 
we  account  for  much  that  we  do.  Those 
who  are  observing  will  note  the  silent  and 
ofttimes  strong  influences  impelling  them 
this  way  or  that.  They  feel  inclined  to  do  a 
certain  thing,  but  cannot  tell  why.  Espe- 
cially is  this  true  of  woman,  for  the  reason 
that  her  higher  or  Soul  faculties  are  less 
blunted  by  contact  with  the  coarser  things 

151 


152  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

of  material  life  than  man's  and  because  as  a 
rule  she  is  more  intuitive,  more  sensitive  to 
impressions  and  more  ready  to  act  on  them, 
though  there  are  marked  exceptions  to  this. 

In  the  whole  phenomena  of  life,  we  must 
always  take  into  consideration  the  great  cen- 
tral fact  that  the  Subconscious  mind,  and 
therefore  man  is  ruled  and  controlled  by 
Suggestion.  This  is  one  of  the  most  import- 
ant and  far-reaching  of  all  Psychological 
truths,  and  must  never  for  a  moment  be  lost 
sight  of.  When  this  is  understood,  then  the 
next  important  question  is,  how  do  sugges- 
tions reach  the  Subconscious  mind,  from 
whence  do  they  come ;  and,  as  man  acts  from 
the  impressions  made  upon  the  Subconscious 
mind,  can  he  govern  and  control  the  char- 
acter of  the  Suggestions  or  impressions  from 
which  he  must  act? 

First ;  granting  that  man  has  the  power  to 
formulate  Thought,  Suggestions  or  Impres- 
sions are  made  upon  the  Subconscious  mind 
by  our  own  Thought,  and  our  Thought  may 
be  the  product  of  logic  and  reason,  or  it  may 


its  Functions  and  Operations.  153 

be  the  result  of  the  Conscious  or  Uncon- 
scious impressions  made  upon  the  Subcon- 
scious mind,  through  the  five  senses  or 
through  other  agencies,  rising  to  conscious- 
ness. While  we  are  trying  to  determine  where 
our  Impressions  come  from,  we  are  at  the 
same  time  learning  where  our  Thought 
comes  from.  All  Thought  comes  through  im- 
pressions made  upon  the  Subconscious  mind, 
and  as  these  impressions  come  over  to  con- 
sciousness, we  turn  them  over  in  our  mind, 
analyze  them,  reason  on  them,  and  the  con- 
clusions formed  then  become  autosugges- 
tions upon  which  the  Subconscious  mind 
acts. 

Second;  Impressions  are  received  from 
the  Thoughts  of  others  which  reach  us 
through  the  intention  of  the  sender,  or 
through  the  thought  being  connected  with 
us  in  his  mind,  and  we  may  or  may  not  be 
conscious  of  the  fact  that  we  are  being  influ- 
enced by  another.  Thus  are  impressions  made 
through  Thought  consciously  connected 
with  us  by  the  thinker,  either  with  or  with- 


154  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

out  the  intention  of  influencing  us,  for  be 
it  remembered,  the  intention  to  have  a 
Thought  reach  another  need  not  be  present 
with  the  thinker ;  the  simple  fact  of  connect- 
ing the  Thought  with  the  person  causing 
them  to  receive  it. 

I  hold  it  to  be  a  Law,  that  a  Thought 
formulated  and  sent  with  the  intention  of 
reaching  another,  or  if  connected  with  him, 
as  in  an  imaginary  conversation,  will  always 
reach  its  destination.  I  believe  this  to  be  ab- 
solutely true,  but  whether  the  Thought  sent 
will  rise  to  Consciousness;  whether  it  will 
be  consciously  recognized  as  a  distinct 
Thought  of  another  by  the  recipient; 
whether  it  will  come  into  expression  as  the 
Thought  of  the  recipient,  he  believing  it  to 
be  his  own  Thought;  and  whether  he  will 
recognize  the  Thought  or  impression  and  act 
upon  it,  or  refuse  to  act  upon  it  though  rec- 
ognizing it,  are  entirely  different  questions. 
Because  this  distinction  has  not  been  recog- 
nized, and  because  we  have  judged  whether 
the  Thought  reached  the  person,  by  his  rec- 


its  Functions  and  Operations.  155 

ognition  of  it,  or  his  acting  upon  it,  we  have 
heen  led  into  the  error  of  questioning  the 
power  of  Thought.  Settle  it  in  your  mind 
that  Thought  is  hound  to  reach  its  object, 
hut  whether  it  will  he  recognized  and  acted 
upon  is  altogether  another  question — and 
depends. 

Third;  the  Subconscious  mind  is  con- 
tinually influenced  by  the  Thoughts  we  un- 
consciously attract  to  us,  they  being  in  gen- 
eral such  as  correspond  to  our  prevailing 
mental  attitude.  These  impressions  are 
made  entirely  unconscious  to  the  Conscious 
mind,  and  herein  lies  the  secret  of  many  of 
the  ills  of  life,  of  the  failures  and  much  of 
the  sickness  that  comes  to  us.  To  make  this 
plain  would  require  more  space  than  is  at 
my  disposal,  but  I  know  it  to  be  a  fact,  and 
a  very  potent  one.  My  personal  experience 
and  my  practice  have  demonstrated  it. 

Fourth;  the  inspirational  influences  and 
higher  Thoughts  which  produce  impressions 
upon  the  Subconscious  mind,  come  to  us 
from  the  Spiritual  realm.  And  here  I  do 


156  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

not  wish  to  be  misunderstood.  I  do  not  re- 
fer to  the  so-called  spirit  communications  of 
the  day,  but  to  Thoughts  which  we  may  at- 
tract to  us  through  desire,  or  a  correspond- 
ing mental  attitude,  or  through  God's  min- 
istering angels  or  spirits,  as  is  clearly  taught 
in  Hebrews  1,  14:  "Are  they  (the  angels) 
not  all  ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to  min- 
ister to  those  who  shall  be  heirs  to  salva- 
tion?" See  also  Matt.  XVIII,  10,  and 
Psalms  XXXIV,  7. 

This  is  not  the  so-called  communication 
of  departed  spirits  with  those  still  upon 
earth,  but  is  the  ministration  of  things  that 
are  for  our  highest  spiritual  good  by  God's 
ministering  angels,  who  communicate  to  us 
spiritual  things  through  spiritual  means, 
but  this  highest  and  most  profound  minis- 
tration of  Divine  Wisdom — this  fuller  reve- 
lation of  God  Himself — can  only  come  to 
those  who  have  been  made  "heirs  of  God  and 
joint  heirs  with  Christ, — members  of  the 
Boyal  Family,  through  a  belief  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  their  Saviour;  and  then,  the 


its  Functions  and  Operations.  157 

efficacy  of  this  ministration  depends  upon 
our  recognition  of,  our  desire  for,  and  our 
opening  ourselves  to  it. 

Through  a  recognition  of  this  great  truth, 
and  by  maintaining  a  receptive  attitude,  the 
ministrations  of  God's  ministering  Spirits,  as 
well  as  truths  and  inspiration  of  the  highest 
order  will  flow  in  to  us,  and  we  will  at  times 
recognize  the  source  of  these  higher 
Thoughts  and  Inspirations,  but  settle  it  in 
your  mind,  that  those  who  are  God's  minis- 
tering servants  to  us  do  not  stoop  to  rap- 
pings,  slate  writing  or  materializations,  but 
that  their  ministrations  come  to  us  through 
impressions  made  upon  the  Subconscious 
mind  or  Soul,  and  that  these  impressions  are 
distinct  and  effective  in  the  degree  in  which 
we  desire  them,  recognize  their  source  and 
open  ourselves  to  them. 

The  phenomena  witnessed  in  so-called 
spiritualistic  demonstrations  cannot  be  de- 
nied by  any  who  are  not  wilfully  blinded, 
bearing  in  mind  that  there  is  both  genuine 
and  fraudulent  demonstration,  but  the  larger 


158  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

part  of  it  can  now  be  scientifically  accounted 
for  by  the  known  powers  of  the  Soul,  and 
when  the  powers  and  attributes  of  the  Soul 
are  more  fully  known,  I  believe  there  will 
be  very  little  of  that  which  is  now  called 
"Spirit  phenomena"  that  cannot  be  ac- 
counted for  in  this  way. 

That  spirits  have  manifested  themselves 
to  man  in  the  past,  I  admit,  for  we  have  the 
Bible  record  of  it.  That  they  do  so  now, 
may  be  possible;  but,  where  the  phenomena 
is  genuine,  that  they  are  the  persons  they 
represent  themselves  to  be,  I  deny.  They 
are  deceiving  spirits.  But  as  this  question 
has  come  in  incidentally  and  I  have  no  in- 
tention of  discussing  it,  I  will  leave  it  with 
the  simple  reference  to  1st  Timothy,  IV,  1. 
"In  the  latter  times  some  shall  depart  from 
the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits, 
and  doctrines  of  devils/' 

Through  a  careful  analysis  of  the  forego- 
ing, we  will  discover  that  back  of  all 
Thought,  back  of  all  Impulse  and  back  of 
all  Acts,  is  that  unceasing,  never  sleeping 


its  Functions  and  Operations.  159 

and  potential  intelligence,  the  Subconscious 
mind,  or  Soul,  and  that  consciously  or  un- 
consciously, we  are  influenced  and  governed 
by  the  Impressions  or  Suggestions  received 
by  it.  That-  this  process  goes  on  unceasingly 
and  for  the  most  part  unconsciously  to  us, 
is  a  great  truth  which  is  only  faintly  recog- 
nized by  the  few;  and  yet,  here  is  the  con- 
trolling factor — the  very  mainspring  in  our 
existence.  Our  desires,  our  impulses  and 
our  mental  attitude  are  constantly  undergo- 
ing changes,  owing  to  this  silent,  unrecog- 
nized, but  all-powerful  agent;  and  we  are 
unconsciously  controlled  by  it ,  in  the  degree 
which  we  fail  to  recognize  its  existence, 

nd  do  not  consciously  govern  the  character 
of  the    Impressions    or    Suggestions    which 

ihall  be  made  upon  the  Soul. 
Here  is  the  vital  point:    We  are  governed 
d   controlled   ~by  the   Subconscious   mind 

hrough  the  impressions  made  upon  it  in  the 
ays  noted,  whether  we  recognize  it,  or  are 

onscious  of  it  or  not,  and  we  determine  the 

haracter  of  these  impressions  by  the  charac- 


160  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

ter  of  our  prevailing  mental  attitude.  When 
we  are  in  a  negative  condition,  we  are  like  a 
rudderless  ship  at  sea,  carried  about  hither 
and  thither  by  the  ever  changing  tide  of  the 
uncontrolled  impressions  which  are  made 
upon  it ;  but  when  we  assume  the  positive  at- 
titude, we  then  determine  the  character  of 
the  impressions  from  which  we  shall  act, 
through  governing  our  Thought  and  our 
mental  attitude  consciously  and  with  intent. 

If  we  would  determine  the  character  of 
the  Impressions  upon  which  we  shall  act,  we 
must  first  of  all  recognize  the  fact  that  we 
are  controlled  by  the  Suggestions  consciously 
or  unconsciously  made  upon  the  Subcon- 
scious mind.  Then,  we  must  consciously 
govern  the  character  of  those  Suggestions  or 
Impressions,  through  assuming  a  positive 
attitude,  choosing  the  character  of  our 
Thought  and  our  habitual  or  prevailing 
mental  attitude,  for,  bear  in  mind,  one  must 
and  will  correspond  to  the  other. 

Eemember,  the  Law  through  which  both 
conscious  and  unconscious  Suggestions  act 


its  Functions  and  Operations.  161 

upon  the  Subconscious  mind  is  absolute*  but 
that  there  are  all  sorts  of  things  which 
change  or  modify  the  impressions  made,  and 
consequently  affect  the  result.  By  a  recog- 
nition and  understanding  of  this  Law,  we 
can  measure  and  understand  that  which  op- 
erates to  produce  seeming  failure  when  em- 
ploying Suggestion,  and  by  the  same  mean?, 
change  or  remove  these  modifying  influences 
and  the  effect  of  adverse  or  undesirable  Sug- 
gestion. 


11 


The — 

Subconscious 

Mind; 

General 

Observations. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

That  the  Subconscious  mind  or  Soul  is 
the  most  important  factor  in  human  exist- 
ence, will  not  be  questioned  by  any  who  have 
come  to  understand  its  powers  and  field  of 
operation.  Though  man  for  the  most  part 
is  in  almost  entire  ignorance  of  its  exist- 
ence and  knows  even  less  of  its  operations, 
here  is  the  thing  by  which  he  is  absolutely 
governed  and  controlled  in  his  mental,  phy- 
sical and  material  existence — here  is  the  sub- 
tile agency  through  which  he  is  uncon- 
sciously controlled  by  himself  and  by  others. 

It  dominates  our  very  existence,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  we  fail  to  recognize  it  or 
that  we  exalt  the  Conscious  mind  to  the  po- 
sition of  ruler.  The  average  person  would 
be  appalled  if  he  could  know  to  what  extent 
he  is  dominated  by  others  through  the  cease- 
less and  unconscious  activity  of  the  Subcon- 
scious mind.  How  do  you  know  that  a 

165 


166  The  Subconscious  Mind ; 

Thought  or  an  Impression  you  have  is  your 
own?  How  do  you  know  whether  the 
Thought  or  Impression  which  comes  to  you 
is  not  the  Thought  of  another  influencing 
you,  either  with  or  without  intent  ? 

We  act  from  Thoughts  and  impressions 
made  upon  the  Subconscious  mind  which  we 
take  for  granted  originate  within  ourselves, 
when  in  fact  they  do  not,  but  are  the  silent 
Thought  or  Suggestion  of  another.  It  does 
not  of  necessity  follow  that  the  Thoughts 
and  Impressions  upon  which  we  act  are 
made  upon  us  intentionally  by  others,  as 
there  are  but  few  who  know  or  understand 
the  intelligent  use  of  the  mental  powers  in 
this  direction.  By  placing  ourselves  in  har- 
mony with  certain  class  or  quality  of 
Thoughts  we  get  them  and  act  from  the  im- 
pressions thus  made  upon  the  Subconscious 
mind,  and  this  process  goes  on  so  quietly  and 
the  workings  of  it  are  so  subtile,  that  we  are 
rarely  conscious  of  it. 

There  are  two  facts  which  we  can  not 
evade  and  must  face:  First,  that  we  act 


General  Observations.  167 

from  Impressions  made  upon  the  Subcon- 
scious mind;  and  second,  these  impressions 
are  made  upon  the  Subconscious  mind  by 
our  own  Conscious  mind,  or  by  others, 
either  consciously  or  unconsciously.  A 
close  analysis  and  an  understanding  of 
what  is  involved  in  this  proposition  will 
show  us  very  clearly  that  in  the  ordinary 
walks  of  life,  the  average  person  is  actually 
ruled  and  dominated  by  others,  and  is  not 
choosing  for  himself,  though  in  all  sincerity 
he  may  think  he  is.  To  intelligently  shape 
life,  we  must  intelligently  choose  for  our- 
selves and  the  wisdom  of  our  choice  depends 
upon  knowledge  and  the  development  of  our 
higher  or  Spiritual  faculties. 

We  must  remember  that  the  Subconscious 
mind  is  dominated  by  Suggestion,  and  that 
it  accepts  and  acts  upon  Suggestion  or  Im- 
pressions of  which  we  are  not  conscious,  but 
that  the  character  of  these  impressions  can 
be  governed  by  the  character  of  our 
Thoughts  or  purposes  and  our  habitual  men- 
tal attitude,  as  the  unconscious  impressions 


168  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

made  will  harmonize  and  correspond  with 
the  Thoughts  we  hold. 

The  secret  of  all  real  progress  and  of  fruit- 
ful life-expression  is  in  choosing  the  char- 
acter of  our  Thoughts,  which  also  involves 
the  choosing  of  the  character  of  the  impres- 
sions which  shall  be  made  upon  the  Subcon- 
scious mind.  In  the  degree  in  which  we  con- 
trol our  Thoughts  and  the  Impressions  from 
which  we  act  do  we  consciously  direct  the 
current  and  issues  of  life  and  in  that  degree 
do  we  also  gain  self-control.  Before  we  can 
control  others  we  must  first  control  our- 
selves 

We  must  recognize  the  fact  that  unless  we 
assume  a  positive  attitude — stand  at  the 
helm  ourselves — we  are  at  the  mercy  of  all 
sorts  of  floating  or  designing  Thought  or 
Suggestion.  While  the  negative  person  is 
technically  a  "free  moral  agent,"  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  he  is  ruled  and  dominated  by  others, 
either  by  accident  or  design,  because  he  is 
not  exercising  his  prerogative  of  choice. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  we  un- 


General  Observations.  169 

der stand  this  far-reaching  and  all-important 
factor  in  life.  Only  in  this  way  can  we  in- 
telligently shape  our  lives  and  say  what  shall 
come  to  us.  But  bear  in  mind,  we  either 
shape  and  control  life  for  ourselves  or  allow 
others  to  do  it  for  us,  and  it  does  not  matter 
whether  we  are  conscious  of  it  or  not.  the 
fact  remains  unaltered. 

And  until  we  understand  and  realize,  how 
it  is  that  impressions  are  made  upon  the 
Subconscious  mind  through  direct  Sugges- 
tion and  through  the  Suggestive  character 
of  the  occurences  of  each  moment,  as  well 
as  through  the  silent  influences  of  Thought 
Impressions,  and  how  we  act  from  these  im- 
pressions continually,  we  cannot  consciously 
or  intelligently  shape  or  govern  life  for  our- 
selves. 

How  many  there  are  in  this  world  who  are 
absolutely  living  a  life  that  is  dictated  and 
controlled  by  others  almost  from  beginning 
to  end  simply  because  they  do  not  under- 
stand that  which  is  fundamental  in  deter- 
mining their  life!  I  know  some  who  have 


170  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

stood  appalled  when  they  first  came  to  rec- 
ognize this  great  fact  and  could  begin  to 
understand  the  subtile  and  far-reaching  ac- 
tivities of  the  Subconscious  mind  and  how 
their  lives  were  unconsciously  guided  and 
controlled  through  the  operations  of  this 
great  intelligence  unconsciously  to  them- 
selves. 

When  this  mighty  truth  begins  to  dawn 
upon  the  mind  and  there  comes  some  reali- 
zation of  the  workings  of  this  great  and  po- 
tent intelligence  which  is  within,  well  may 
the  individual  stand  with  fear  and  trembling 
before  the  responsibility  which  rests  upon 
him!  Life,  and  the  shaping  of  life  is  no 
mere  pastime,  but  a  stern  and  vital  reality 
in  which  each  is  working  out  his  destiny, 
either  Consciously  and  intelligently,  or  Un- 
consciously and  in  Ignorance.  It  is  only  as 
we  come  into  a  recognition  of  this  great 
Truth  that  we  come  to  see  to  what  extent  it 
is  true  that  the  choosing  of  what  shall  come 
to  us  lays  absolutely  with  ourselves  and  of 
how  important  it  is  that  we  should  Con- 


General  Observations.  171 

sciously  and  Intelligently  choose  that  which 
shall  determine  the  trend  and  issues  of  life. 
When  we  come  into  a  vital  realization  of  this 
potent  truth  in  the  Soul  and  it  becomes  a 
deep-sealed  conviction,  we  shall  see  that  ice 
are  responsible  for  what  comes  into  our  lives 
and  that  we  can  in  no  way  shift  the  respon- 
sibility upon  others.  Ignorance  does  not  ex- 
cuse us  and  is  never  to  be  desired. 

To  he  "forewarned  is  to  be  forearmed," 
and  as  we  come  to  understand  ho,w  thor- 
oughly we  are  under  the  dominion  of  these 
Laws,  we  shall  also  come  to  realize  how,  and 
in  what  way,  we  can  control  our  own  lives 
and  protect  ourselves  from  the  undesired  in- 
fluences of  others.  We  are  not  left  to  the 
mercy  of  the  ever-changing  and  undesirable 
influences  of  others  or  of  that  which  will 
come  to  us  through  the  Suggestive  character 
of  our  surroundings.  But  unless  we  become 
positive  and  stand  at  the  helm,  we  certainly 
are  ruled,  dominated  and  controlled  by  these 
constantly  operating  influences.  If  we  as- 
sume control  ourselves,  we  can  as  surely  de- 


172  The  Subconscious  Mind ; 

termine  the  character  of  that  which  shall 
come  to  us  and  at  the  same  time  exercise  a 
heneficient  influence  over  others  through  the 
positive  character  of  our  own  mental  atti- 
tude, for  it  is  the  positive  person,  the  posi- 
tive attitude  that  makes  the  strongest  im- 
pression upon  the  mind  of  another. 

And  here  .another  important  consideration 
comes  in:  Others  are  influencing  and  con- 
trolling us  in  the  degree  in  which  we  are 
negative,  because  we  are  open  and  receptive 
to  their  influence.  When  we  become  positive, 
we  are  influencing  and  controlling  others  in 
the  degree  in  which  they  are  negative.  The 
positive  person  is  also  subject  to  the  influ- 
ences of  others  and  to  impressions  received 
from  his  surroundings,  but  he  intelligently 
chooses  and  determines  the  character  of  that 
which  he  will  receive  and  act  upon  either5 
through  conscious  volition  or  through  the 
protecting  influences  of  his  prevailing  men- 
tal attitude — the  Law  of  Self-preservation. 

"No  man  liveth  unto  himself"  is  a  divine 
Truth  pregnant  with  meaning.  Consciously 


General  Observations.  173 

or  unconsciously  we  are  affecting  others 
through  the  unceasing  operations  of  this 
great  and  potential  intelligence  within  us, 
hence  the  necessity  of  our  maintaining  that 
attitude  which  will  not  only  enable  us  to  in- 
telligently fashion  and  control  our  own 
lives,  but  exert  the  most  salutary  and  benefi- 
cient  influence  over  others.  The  more  we 
consciously  and  intelligently  use  this  great 
power  within  us  for  the  good  of  others,  the 
more  will  we  reap  good  ourselves,  for  this  is 
the  Law.  "It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive/' 

One  of  the  most  important  points  to  be 
observed  in  all  questions  affecting  Material 
and  Spiritual  life  and  in  the  treating  of  dis- 
ease, is  the  very  great  and  subtile  part  played 
by  unconscious  Suggestion,  or  the  uncon- 
scious activities  of  the  Subconscious  mind. 
Remember,  these  impressions  no  matter  as 
to  their  source,  come  to  our  consciousness, 
when  we  are  at  all  conscious  of  them,  as  our 
own  Thoughts,  and  we  do  not  realize  their 
origin,  nor  do  we  question  it,  until  we  come 


174  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

into  a  knowledge  of  the  Laws  governing  the 
activities  of  the  Dual  Mind. 

While  we  cannot  always  determine  the  ori- 
gin or  source  of  the  Thoughts  or  Impres- 
sions which  come  to  us,  we  can  and  should 
choose  what  Thoughts  and  Suggestions  we 
will  entertain.  One  of  the  deepest  studies 
in  the  treatment  of  disease  is  to  determine 
the  part  played  by  the  Unconscious  Auto- 
suggestion of  the 'patient  and  to  what  extent 
it  is  neutralizing  or  counteracting  the  effect 
of  the  Suggestions  given.  The  principle  or 
Law  is  absolute,  but  there  are  conditions  and 
neutralizing  agencies  which  must  always  be 
taken  into  consideration  and  overcome 
through  the  application  of  the  same  Laws. 

But  it  may  be  asked:  if  we  are  uncon- 
sciously influenced  by  Suggestions  and  Ira 
pressions  received  by  the  Subconscious  mind, 
how  are  we  to  know,  or  how  are  we  to  guard 
ourselves  from  such  as  are  undesirable?  A 
very  important  question  and  one  that  should 
be  answered  as  intelligently  as  possible  with 
the  light  at  our  command. 


General  Observations.  175 

In  the  first  place,  the  fixed  purpose,  the 
prevailing  mental  attitude  which  we  inten- 
tionally or  unintentionally  cultivate,  will  de- 
termine to  a  very  great  extent  the  character 
of  the  Impressions  which  will  be  received 
unconsciously  by  the  Subconscious  mind. 
The  positive  person,  the  one  who  is  intelli- 
gently shaping  his  life,  will  attract  to  him- 
self that  which  is  in  correspondence  with  his 
fixed  purpose  and  his  prevailing  mental  atti- 
tude, while  the  negative  person,  the  one  who 
is  not  standing  at  the  helm  but  is  drifting, 
is  by  virtue  of  the  same  Law  at  the  mercy  of 
all  floating  Thought  or  Impressions.  He 
attracts  a  little  of  everything  to  himeslf .  but 
lacking  in  continuity  of  purpose,  and  being 
ignorant  of  the  operations  of  the  Law  of  At- 
traction, he  is  not  "centered,"  he  fails  to  hold 
to  any  specific  line  of  Thought  or  purpose 
long  enough  to  produce  any  perceptible  ef- 
fect, and  as  a  consequence,  he  becomes  one 
of  that  vast  army  of  people  who  are  doing 
something,  but  nothing  in  particular,  just 
"drifting  with  the  tide"  and  rarely  succeed- 


176  The  Subconscious  Mind  ; 

ing  in  anything  he  undertakes.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  escape  these  potential  influences  in 
any  way  whatever,  but  we  can  bring  them 
under  our  control  and  say  what  shall  influ- 
ence us,  through  the  knowledge  of  the  opera- 
tions of  these  Laws,  and  through  intelli- 
gently choosing  for  ourselves. 

The  power  and  effectiveness  of  Suggestion 
and  Autosuggestion  will  be  more  fully  con- 
sidered in  the  following  chapters,  but  the 
points  I  wish  to  emphasize  here  are  that  we 
are  controlled  by  or  through  Impressions 
made  upon  the  Subconscious  mind;  that 
these  Impressions  are  made  both  Consciously 
and  Unconsciously  and  that  we  can  in  no 
way  escape  from  them;  that  while  essentially 
man  is  a  "free  moral  agent"  he  is  not  exer- 
cising his  prerogative  of  choice  in  the  ordi- 
nary walks  of  life,  but  is  dominated  and  con- 
trolled by  the  Suggestions  and  influences  of 
others  unless  he  is  consciously  choosing  for 
himself. 

While  Thought  is  the  "Key-note"  of  life 
and  a  Thought  precedes  every  act,  here  we 


General  Observations.  177 

see  how  and  why  we  are  controlled  by  it,  as 
well  as  that  which  is  back  of  Thought.  The 
Subconscious  mind  is  back  of  all  and  its  ex- 
pression is  the  result  of  impressions  made 
upon  it  taking  form  in  Thought,  and 
Thought  taking  form  in  action.  It  comes  to 
dominate  in  life-expression  and  illuminate 
the  faculties  of  the  Conscious  mind,  only  in 
the  degree  in  which  it  is  recognized  and  de- 
veloped. 


12 


Suggestion — 

Defined, 

And 

The 

Way 

It 

Operates. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

In  the  previous  chapters  we  have  seen  that 
the  Subconscious  Mind  acts  upon  Suggestion 
— that  it  is  under  the  Law  of  Suggestion, 
and  that  we  are  impelled  to  every  act 
through  a  Suggestion  or  an  Impression  made 
upon  the  Subconscious  mind. 

While  the  term  "Suggestion"  is  one  uni- 
versally employed,  it  is  but  little  understood 
and  to  the  average  person  is  but  a  phrase 
conveying  an  indefinite  meaning.  The  Po- 
tency and  Power  of  Suggestion,  the  Laws 
governing  in  its  unceasing  operations  as  well 
as  the  nature  of  Suggestion,  its  intelligent 
use  and  the  conditions  most  favorable  for 
obtaining  the  best  results  from  it  are  as  lit- 
tle understood  by  the  masses  as  were  the  pos- 
sibilties  of  electricity  by  Franklin  in  his  day. 

What  is  a  "Suggestion  ?"  Anything  which 
makes  an  impression  upon  the  mind  is  a 
Suggestion.  It  may  be  a  word,  a  look,  a  mo- 

181 


182  Suggestion  Defined,  and 

tion,  a  person,  a  thought  or  many  other 
things.  It  may  be  Impressions  received  by 
the  Subconscious  mind  from  the  vast  ocean 
of  Thought  in  which  we  live,  or  from  the 
realm  of  the  Spiritual  world.  At  every  turn 
we  are  met  by  a  Suggestion  and  it  is  as  im- 
possible to  escape  from  Suggestion  itself,  as 
it  is  to  escape  from  the  ceaseless  activities  of 
the  Subconscious  mind.  It  is  everywhere 
present  and  in  life-expression  we  are  as  as- 
suredly dominated  by  the  Law  of  Sugges- 
tion, as  by  the  necessity  of  breathing  and 
this  whether  waking  or  sleeping. 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  "Suggestion 
rules  the  world/'  Traced  down  to  its  last 
and  final  analysis,  Life-expression  is  the  re- 
sult or  consequence  of  Suggestion,  and  this 
being  true  it  is  evident  that  if  we  would 
change  the  character  of  our  Physical,  Men- 
tal or  Material  conditions,  we  must  in  some 
way  govern  the  fundamental  or  producing 
cause.  While  it  is  true  that  we  act  from  our 
Thoughts  and  in  governing  the  character  of 
our  Thoughts  we  determine  the  character  of 


the  Way  it  Operates.  183 

what  comes  to  us,  it  will  be  borne  in  mind 
that  every  Thought  is  a  Suggestion  and  also 
that  the  source  of  much  of  the  Suggestive 
Impressions  from  which  we  act  reach  yet 
back  of  the  realm  of  Thought  and  that  Sug- 
gestion is  therefore  broader  and  more  com- 
prehensive than  Thought. 

For  a  general  definition  of  Suggestion  in 
its  application  to  Therapeutic  work,  we  may 
say  that  "a  Suggestion  is  a  Thought  formu- 
lated and  expressed  by  one  person  for  the 
purpose  of  influencing  another,"  but  this 
does  not  by  any  means  properly  define  Sug- 
gestion in  its  broad  and  true  sense.  An 
unexpressed  Thought  is  as  much  of  a  Sug- 
gestion as  if  spoken  to  the  person,  and  the 
impression  thus  made  may  be  more  effective 
for  the  reason  that  he  will  be  inclined  to  con- 
sider it  as  his  own  Thought  and  willingly 
act  upon  it  of  his  own  volition,  unquestioned 
and  unchallenged. 

Thought  and  Suggestion  are  so  closely  al- 
lied and  inter-related  that  at  times  it  seems 
difficult  to  separate  them  and  it  will  be  borne 


184  Suggestion  Defined,  and 

in  mind  that  what  has  been  said  in  reference 
to  Thought  in  previous  chapters  obtains, 
only  with  increased  force  in  the  realm  of 
Suggestion.  A  Thought  may  be  the  result 
of  a  Suggestion  or  a  Suggestion  may  be  the 
result  of  a  Thought,  but  in  either  case  they 
create  impressions  upon  the  Subconscious 
mind  from  which  the  act  springs. 

The  two  most  potential  factors  in  our  ex- 
istence are  the  Subconscious  mind  and  Sug- 
gestion, bearing  in  mind  the  inter-relation 
of  Thought  and  Suggestion.  When  we  un- 
derstand the  Faculties  and  operations  of  the 
one  and  the  nature  and  potency  of  the  other, 
together  with  the  Laws  governing  them,  we 
have  the  key  to  all  Life-expression,  to  health, 
happiness  and  success. 

We  must  recognize — we  must  realize  the 
fact  that  everything  which  in  any  way  ap- 
peals to  the  senses  is  a  Suggestion  and  that 
we  are  consciously  or  unconsciously  im- 
pressed by  the  Suggestive  character  of  every- 
thing with  which  we  come  in  contact  or 
which  comes  within  the  range  of  our  vision. 


the  Way  it  Operates.  185 

The  idea  is  prevalent  that  a  Suggestion  is 
only  the  word  spoken  to  another,  but  this  is 
not  true.  Everything — anything  which 
makes  an  impression  upon  the  mind, 
whether  it  be  through  the  five  senses  or  oth- 
erwise, is  a  Suggestion, 

We  eat,  we  drink,  we  breathe,  we  walk, 
sleep  and  act  solely  through  Suggestion  and 
when  we  come  to  recognize  and  realize  this, 
we  then  begin  to  see  how  thoroughly  we  are 
dominated  by  Suggestive  Impressions  and  of 
what  paramount  importance  it  is  that  we 
should  determine  the  nature  and  character 
of  the  Suggestions  from  which  our  Life- 
expression  flows,  through  conscious  choice. 
For  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  activities 
of  the  Subconscious  mind,  from  which  all 
acts  spring,  must  at  all  times  correspond  and 
be  in  harmony  with  our  prevailing  attitude, 
which  is  in  itself  the  strongest  kind  of  a  Sug- 
gestion. 

So  potent  and  powerful  is  Suggestion,  and 
the  results  which  I  have  seen  obtained  from 
its  use  so  far  enter  what  is  considered  the 


186  Suggestion  Defined,  and 

realm  of  the  miraculous,  that  I  frankly  say 
I  do  not  know  what  is  impossible  of  accom- 
plishment through  its  intelligent  and  per- 
sistent application,  but  there  are  bounds  be- 
yond which  it  is  at  least  difficult  to  pass. 
The  Law  of  Self-preservation — the  expres- 
sion of  a  faculty  inherent  in  the  Soul,  is  ever 
operative,  and  while  the  Subconscious  mind 
is  under  the  Law  of  Suggestion  and  is 
bound  to  act  upon  Suggestions  given  when 
they  enter  unchallenged  and  unopposed,  it 
will  refuse  to  accept  or  act  upon  a  Sugges- 
tion which  is  in  violation  of  this  Law  of 
Self-preservation,  and  as  is  well  known  by 
those  who  have  investigated,  a  person  in 
"Hypnosis'5  will  resent  and  refuse  a  Sugges- 
tion which  does  violence  to  his  fixed  princi- 
ples or  convictions,  though  as  I  have  said, 
knowing  the  power  and  potency  of  Sugges- 
tion from  actual  practice,  I  am  not  prepared 
to  say  what  is  impossible,  when  Suggestion 
is  properly  and  persistently  employed. 

It  is  well  to  remember  that  there  is  no 
good  that  cannot  be  perverted  and  no  power 


the  Way  it  Operates.  187 

that  cannot  be  misused  and  abused,  but  our 
safety  does  not  lie  in  ignorance,  but  in  an 
intelligent  understanding.  Our  advantage 
is  not  in  avoiding  a  thing,  but  in  under- 
standing it  and  how  to  use  it  for  the  good  of 
ourselves  and  others.  We  might  as  well  say 
that  because  electricity  kills  we  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  Our  safety  and  well- 
being  always  lies  in  knowledge  and  intelli- 
gence. Ignorance  means  degeneration  and 
retrogression. 

Our  fixed  purposes  and  Ideals,  if  persist- 
ed in,  are  the  first  and  most  powerful  Sug- 
gestions and  will  take  precedence  over  oth- 
ers. These  become  an  "Auto- Suggestion," 
which  is  a  Suggestion  given  to  ones  self,  and 
an  Auto- Suggestion  is  one  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult things  to  overcome.  An  unconscious 
Autosuggestion  may  become  so  deeply  seated 
as  to  require  much  and  persistent  conscious 
effort  to  overcome  or  change.  I  have  had 
patients  in  whom  I  could  distinctly  discern 
the  unconscious  workings  of  Autosuggestion 
when  they  were  making  the  strongest  con- 


188  Suggestion  Defined,  and 

scions  effort  to  follow  my  Suggestions,  and 
herein  lies  the  secret  of  much  seeming  fail- 
ure in  the  application  of  Suggestion.  But 
instead  of  indicating  failure,  it  only  empha- 
sises .the  potency  and  power  of  Suggestion  in 
two  ways;  first  in  demonstrating  the 
strength  and  power  of  the  Autosuggestion 
and  second  in  being  able  to  overcome  the 
deeply  seated  impressions  produced  by  the 
Autosuggestion,  by  the  persistent  use  of  pro- 
per Suggestion.  It  requires  repeated  and 
persistent  Suggestion  to  overcome  these 
deeply  seated  impressions  and  when  we  rec- 
ognize the  fact  that  one's  Autosuggestion  is 
the  more  powerful  and  that  the  strongest 
Suggestion  will  prevail  until  broken  by  a 
stronger,  we  will  see  that  they  can  only  be 
overcome  or  counteracted  by  repeated  and 
persistent  effort  on  the  part  of  ones  self  or 
the  Suggestionist. 

Suggestion  gathers  force  in  its  repetition. 
The  only  way  you  commit  a  poem  to  memory 
is  through  constant  iteration.  Beading  it 
over  once  or  twice  will  not  do  it,  but  the 


the  Way  it  Operates.  189 

more  you  read  it,  the  more  you  become  fa- 
miliar with  it,  the  more  it  becomes  fixed  up- 
on the  mind  so  you  can  repeat  it  from  mem- 
ory. This  is  Suggestion.  The  oftener  it  is 
repeated  and  the  more  energy  employed  in 
giving  the  Suggestion  whether  by  ones  self 
or  another,  the  deeper  and  more  lasting  the 
impressions  made  and  the  more  effective  the 
results.  One  can  repeat  a  lie  so  often  that 
he  finallv  comes  to  believe  it  true. 


Suggestion — 

Applied 
To 

Mental 
And 

Physical 
Disabilities. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

In  treating  all  Physical  and  Mental  ail- 
ments, Suggestion  is  the  underlying  factor 
in  the  cure,  no  matter  what  method  em- 
ployed, be  it  Medicine,  Osteopathy,  Chris- 
tian Science,  Mental  Science  or  what  not. 
Every  dose  of  medicine  and  every  movement 
or  manipulation  carries  a  Suggestion  with 
it,  and  as  has  been  well  said  by  an  eminent 
Chicago  Physician — Dr.  William  H.  Hoi- 
combe,  ex-President  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  Homeopathy — "To  be  certain  that 
drugs  have  ever  exerted  any  curative  action 
whatever,  it  is  necessary  to  eliminate  every 
mental  element  of  cure  from  the  case.  Let 
there  be  no  opinion  or  thought  about  the 
matter,  no  faith,  no  imagination,  no  hope, 
no  expectation  of  result.  When  all  these 
causes  are  absent,  the  result  may  possibly  be 
the  effect  of  the  medicine/' 

Suggestion  is  the  means  or  cause  which  is 

13  193 


194  Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental 

back  of  all  cures  effected  and  every  intelli- 
gent and  progressive  Doctor  of  Medicine  rec- 
ognizes this  fact,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree. 
While  the  materialistic  tendencies  of  his  pa- 
tients demand  what  they  consider  a  material 
remedy — something  they  can  see,  taste  and 
feel,  the  Physician  feels  bound  to  prescribe 
something  which  may  or  may  not  be  medir 
cine,  but  he  is  sure  to  accompany  it  with  a 
good  dose  of  Suggestion,  and  the  most  suc- 
cessful M.  D.  is  the  one  who  makes  the  most 
intelligent  use  of  Suggestion,  even  if  it  be 
accompanied  by  the  administration  of  sweet- 
ened water  and  bread  pills.  They  are  on  the 
right  track  and  all  they  need  is  the  courage 
of  their  conviction.  And  yet,  can  we  blame 
them?  They  know  that  the  people  ar-  not 
}ret  educated  up  to  natural  methods  of  heal- 
ing and  demand  pills  and  powders  and  they 
also  know  that  unless  they  administer  some- 
thing which  their  patients  at  least  believe  is 
medicine,  they  will  be  dismissed  as  being  in- 
competent and  another  employed  who  will 


and  Physical  Disabilities.  195 

indulge  them  in  their  ignorance.  When  peo- 
ple want  to  be  duped,  and  will  have  it  no 
other  way,  can  we  blame  one  for  duping 
them?  P.  T.  Barnum  was  worldly  wise 
when  he  said  "the  American  people  want  to 
be  humbugged  and  I  might  as  well  humbug 
them  as  anyone  else/'  But  here,  as  in  all 
things  else,  our  jalvation  and  best  good  lies 
in  Intelligence  and  education  rather  than  in 
ignorance,  nnd  as  the  public  become  better 
informed  in  the  underlying  principles  of 
life,  they  will  demand  and  receive  more  ra- 
tional and  natural  methods  of  treating  their 
physical  ailments  and  will  have  less  of  them 
to  be  treated. 

The  philosophy  of  Suggestion  in  treating 
Mental  and  Physical  ailments  will  be  better 
appreciated  when  it  is  understood  that  all 
the  functions  and  sensations  of  the  body  are 
under  the  control  of  the  Subconscious  mind, 
that  It  is  under  the  Law  of  Suggestion  and 
in  its  activities,  can  be  controlled  by  Sugges- 
tion. Now,  with  the  functions  and  sensa- 
tions of  the  body  under  the  control  of  the 


196  Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental 

Subconscious  mind,  and  with  the  Subcon- 
scious mind  controlable  by  or  through  Sug- 
gestion, we  see  at  once  that  through  intelli- 
gent Suggestion,  any  of  the  organs  of  the 
body  can  be  stimulated,  circulation  increased 
and  a  right  activity  brought  about  in  all 
parts  of  the  physical  being  by  proper  Sug- 
gestions. Here  you  have  the  theory  of  the 
whole  philosophy  of  healing  in  a  nut-shell — 
if  you  can  ree  it. 

But  do  not  overlook  the  fact  that  there  are 
always  conditions  to  be  observed  in  treating 
for  the  cure  of  disease.  There  are  certain 
fundamental  Laws  of  nature,  and  conditions 
which  must  be  complied  with.  Disease  is 
the  result  of  a  violation  of  Law.  Complying 
with  the  simple  Laws  of  life,  or  conditions 
of  health  and  the  intelligent  use  of  Sugges- 
tion, there  are  but  few  forms  of  diseases 
which  cannot  be  cured. 

And  with  the  growing  tendency  of  think- 
ing people  to  break  away  from  the  old  drug 
methods  of  treatment  towards  that  which  is 
in  harmony  and  in  accord  with  nature,  it  is 


and  Physical  Disabilities.  197 

well  to  note  that  cures  brought  about  in  this 
way  are  more  permanent,  for  the  reason  that 
it  is  Nature's  own  method  of  cure,  devoid  of 
any  artificial  stimulant,  and  while  the  Phy- 
sician is  ostensibly  doing  the  work,  in  reality 
he  is  making  the  patient  do  it  and  the  re- 
sults obtained  are  perfectly  natural  from 
which  there  will  be  no  relapse,  except 
through  a  repeated  violation  of  Law.  And 
when  the  patient  recovers,  he  knows  how  he 
has  regained  his  health  and  how  to  retain 
and  maintain  it. 

The  field  covered  by  Suggestion  is  as 
broad  as  life  itself.  There  is  no  sphere  in 
life  where  the  operation  of  the  Law  of  Sug- 
gestion and  the  activities  of  the  Subcon- 
scious mind  cannot  be  employed  to  infinite 
advantage.  In  shaping  the  course  of  life,  in 
determining  our  measure  of  success  and  our 
happiness,  in  healing  disease,  in  eradicating 
undesirable  habits  and  traits  of  character 
and  in  bringing  about  a  right  mental  atti- 
tude or  condition,  Suggestion  can  be  util- 
ized to  the  greatest  advantage  and  results 


198  Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental 

can  be  secured  through  the  intelligent  use 
of  Suggestion  and  Auto  suggestion  which 
are  attainable  in  no  other  way. 

While  in  my  practice  I  employ  the  Mag- 
netic or  Life-forces  of  the  body,  which  is  a 
most  powerful  aid  when  intelligently  used, 
my  reliance  is  always  upon  Suggestion  as 
the  chief  and  most  potent  factor  in  bring- 
ing about  the  cure  of  any  disease.  The  re- 
sults I  have  obtained — and  the  results  at- 
tained by  all  intelligent  practitioners  of 
Suggestive  Therapeutics — tax  the  credulity 
of  the  average  Medical  physician.  In  fact, 
many  of  the  advanced  among  them  refuse 
to  believe  these  results  possible. 

That  severe  and  chronic  constipation  can 
be  readily  cured  and  a  regular  movement  of 
the  bowels  secured  in  a  short  time  without 
the  use  of  one  drop  of  medicine,  wholly 
through  Suggestion,  is  a  fact  which  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  induce  even  the  laity  to  believe, 
and  yet  it  is  being  done  every  day.  One  of 
the  most  pleasant  features  of  a  cure  of  this 
kind  is  that  when  a  person  is  cured  in  this 


and  Physical  Disabilities.  199 

way,  lie  understands  perfectly  how  the  cure 
is  brought  about  and  is  easily  able  to  control 
this  important  function  himself  by  the  in- 
telligent use  of  Autosuggestion. 

In  the  treatment  of  all  diseases  peculiar 
to  women — making  no  exceptions,  and  even 
in  Child-birth,  there  is  no  method  of  treat- 
ment known  which  will  produce  such  prompt 
and  permanent  relief  or  cure,  as  the  treat- 
ment by  Suggestion.  This  class  of  diseases, 
the  regular  Physician  has  found  himself  un- 
able to  cope  with  to  any  degree  of  satisfac- 
tion and  as  a  result,  comes  the  too  common 
recourse  to  the  knife. 

When  women  come  to  realize  what  this 
mode  of  treatment  means  to  them  and  when 
through  an  understanding  of  the  great  pos- 
sibilities it  has  in  store  for  them  they  de- 
mand intelligent  and  scientific  treatment, 
the  field  of  Suggestive  Therapeutics  will  be 
more  fully  occupied  by  practitioners  of  a 
higher  order  of  intelligence,  these  ailments 
will  be  more  intelligently  and  successfully 
treated  and  cured  and  the  number  of  opera- 


200  Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental 

tions  will  be  reduced  to  the  minimum — and 
God  E  peed  the  day ! 

Some  have  an  idea  that  Suggestion  is  only 
efficacious  in  the  mild  and  simple  forms  of 
diseases,  but  there  is  no  physical  or  mental 
ailment  which  cannot  be  either  permanently 
cured  or  geatly  benefitted  by  the  intelligent 
use  of  Suggestion,  and  especially  is  this  true 
if  the  Physician  understands  the  Laws 
governing  the  Magnetic  forces  and  how  to 
apply  them  in  treatment.  It  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  practitioner  of  Suggestive 
Therapeutics  is  called  upon  to  treat  almost 
exclusively,  those  who  have  exhausted  every 
means  within  their  reach — the  old,  hard  and 
chronic  cases  which  have  many  times  been 
given  up  by  the  Medical  fraternity,  and 
when  this  is  taken  into  consideration  it  will 
be  found  that  the  high  percentage  of  his 
cures  is  simply  remarkable.  Could  he  have 
the  opportunity  of  treating  the  same  aver- 
age as  the  M,  D.,  his  failures  would  be  small 
indeed. 

In  all  forms  of  Mental  trouble  Suggestion 


and  Physical  Disabilities.  201 

is  the  Ideal  mode  of  treatment.  The  powers 
of  Recollection,  Concentration,  and  the  Will 
can  be  strengthened;  strength  and  force  of 
Character  can  be  obtained  and  any  or  all  of 
the  Mental  facilities  can  be  stimulated  to  in- 
creased activity  and  strengthened  through 
Suggestion  and  Autosuggestion.  Melan- 
cholia, Morbid  Thoughts,  Fear  and  Worry 
can  be  dispelled  in  the  same  way  and  in  fact, 
there  is  no  other  way  of  treating  these  Men- 
tal troubles  but  by  Suggestion.  Wonderful 
results  can  be  accomplished-  in  Insanity 
through  the  Suggestive  treatment  and  when 
the  day  arrives  that  the  mentally  deranged 
are  scientifically  treated  by  the  Suggestive 
methods,  there  will  be  fewer  hopeless  cases 
and  many  will  be  spared  from  the  fate  which 
now  usually  awaits  those  who  are  thus  af- 
flicted. 

All  habits  are  especially  amenable  to  treat- 
ment by  Suggestion.  The  Liquor,  Tobacco, 
Morphine  and  Opium  habits  can  be  success- 
fully handled  with  every  probability  of  the 
cure  being  permanent. 


202  Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental 

The  great  possibilities  of  Suggestion  in 
healing  disease  and  in  mental  and  moral  cul- 
ture, and  the  ignorance  upon  the  subject 
among  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  people, 
together  with  its  importance  as  related  to 
the  well-being  of  all,  and  often  to  the  very 
life  of  the  individual,  is  my  reason  for  in- 
troducing here  wnat  may  seem  to  some  as  a 
digression  from  the  main  thought  of  the 
book.  Light  is  needed  upon  every  hand  and 
many  are  reaching  out  after  knowledge 
which  will  be  the  means  of  emancipating 
them  from  sickness  and  disease  as  well  as 
from  poverty  and  unhappiness,  and  while  I 
cannot  give  a  full  exposition  of  the  philoso- 
phy of  Physical  and  Mental  healing  in  this 
brief  space,  it  is  my  desire  to  awaken  all  who 
read  to  some  degree  of  understanding  of  the 
possibilities  which  are  attainable,  and  to 
stimulate  them  to  further  research,  as  well 
as  to  the  application  of  the  knowledge  they 
have  gained. 

Kalph  Waldo  Trine  is  right  when  he  says, 
"The  Physician  of  the  fututre  will  become 


and  Physical  Disabilities.  203 

the  teacher."  As  the  Law  of  Suggestion 
comes  to  be  better  understood  people  will 
heal  themselves,  or  better  still,  they  will 
know  how  to  prevent  illness  and  disease,  and 
the  greatest  and  most  lasting  good  the  Phy- 
sician can  do  his  patient  is  to  instruct  and 
teach  him  how  to  take  care  of  himself  and 
keep  well,  so  that  he  will  not  need  to  have 
recourse  to  others  for  help.  As  long  as  we 
depend  upon  another  in  any  way,  we  are 
weak  and  there  should  be  no  more  need  why 
one  should  apply  to  another  for  relief  from 
Physical  ailments  than  there  is  for  his  ap- 
plying for  charity.  Both  are  the  result  of 
ignorance  and  negligence — or  indolence. 

The  more  we  come  to  recognize  the  potency 
of  Suggestion  and  understand  the  operations 
of  the  Subconscious  mind,  the  more  will  we 
come  to  realize  how  we  can  become  superior 
to  all  adverse  Physical  and  Mental  condi- 
tions. Health — abounding  health  is  a  per- 
fectly normal  and  natural  condition  and  any 
departure  from  this  standard  proclaims  the 
adverse  character  of  the  Suggestions  which 


204       Suggestion  Applied  to  Mental,  etc. 

are  influenceing  us,  and  a  violation  of  Law. 
To  be  well  and  strong  is  the  rightful  por- 
tion of  every  human  being  and  when  princi- 
ples of  Psychology  are  more  generally 
taught  and  understood,  people  will  begin  to 
realize  that  the  time  has  come  for  their 
emancipation  from  the  dominion  of  ill- 
health,  sickness  and  disease.  The  dawn  is 
breaking;  interest  in  the  True  Philosophy 
of  life  is  more  manifest  every  day  and  the 
thoughtful  person  is  enquiring  what  he  can 
do  to  shape  his  life  more  intelligently  and 
make  it  conform  more  to  his  higher  Ideals, 
as  well  as  to  secure  freedom  from  the  ills 
which  flesh  is  not  heir  to. 


Laws — 

Governing 
In 

Every 
Sphere. 


CHAPTEK   XVII. 

The  more  we  seek  to  penetrate  the  great 
problem  of  Life  and  try  to  analyze  the  vari- 
ous manifestations  of  all  force  or  energy  as 
it  is  related  to  Life-expression,  both  in  the 
Spiritual  and  in  the  Material  world,  the 
more  do  we  discover  that  in  all  their  work- 
ings there  is  a  method  and  harmony  which 
eliminates  all  possibility  of  "happen"  or 
"chance"  and  which  indicates  a  scientific 
precision  in  the  production  of  all  the  phe- 
nomena of  Life,  which  is  quite  at  variance 
with  what  we  have  been  accustomed  to  think 
and  believe. 

The  evident  ^certainty  of  an  effect  having 
a  cause,  of  a  certain  thing  or  a  certain  ac$ 
producing  a  certain  effect,  places  the  effect 
or  result  beyond  the  realm  of  uncertainty  or 
chance  and  brings  us  face  to  face  with  the 
fact  that  back  of  all,  there  are  Laws  estab- 
lished by  the  Infinite  which  are  constantly 

207 


208  Laws  Governing 

operative  in  every  occurrence  of  Life,  as  well 
as  in  the  whole  universe  of  God. 

When  we  know  the  elements  which  enter 
into  the  initial  step,  and  are  able  to  measure 
the  neutralizing  agencies  which  are  also  the 
operation  of  yet  other  Laws,  we  can  with 
much  certainty  predict  the  result  or  effect, 
and  were  we  possessed  of  infinite  knowledge 
of  all  Law,  there  would  be  no  uncertainty 
about  it  whatever.  The  Chemist  knows  that 
by  combining  two  elements,  certain  results 
follow  and  the  Astronomer  understands  so 
well  how  the  movements  of  the  planets  are 
governed  that  he  can  with  certainty  predict 
their  movements  far  into  the  future.  And 
this  is  what  we  call  Law. 

Nothing  ever  happens.  There  is  a  cause 
for  whatever  comes  to  us  and  all  can  be 
traced  to  the  exact  workings  of  Law.  If  I 
throw  an  apple  up  in  the  air,  it  falls  to  the 
earth  again,  but  it  goes  up  and  comes  down 
in  obedience  to  Laws,  one  of  Force  and  the 
other  of  Attraction.  No  matter  which  way 
we  may  turn,  we  face  the  fact  that  in  every 


in  Every  Sphere.  209 

sphere  of  Life,  and  embracing  the  whole  uni- 
verse there  are  Laws  operating  unceasingly 
and  with  infinite  precision  which  at  all  times 
govern  and  determine  what  is  and  what 
shall  be. 

When  all  is  understood,  it  will  be  found 
that  the  whole  phenomena  of  Life  can  be 
reduced  to  what  is,  in  a  sense,  a  Mathemati- 
cal proposition.  Certain  causes  produce  cer- 
tain effects,  certain  effects  follow  certain 
Thoughts  and  certain  acts  or  movements  and 
when  we  recognize  the  fact  that  for  every 
effect  there  is  a  cause — that  without  the 
cause  the  effect  could  not  appear,  when  we 
come  to  realize  that  every  effect  is  the  result 
of  an  initial  or  primal  cause  and  follow  this 
out  to  its  legitimate  termination  as  applied 
to  every  detail  of  Life,  we  are  driven  to  the 
conclusion  that  back  of  all  there  are  Laws 
operating  which  determine  the  result  or  con- 
sequence of  every  Thought,  every  impulse, 
every  act  and  of  all  that  we  do,  and  that 
these  Laws  are  universal,  governing  and  op- 
erating in  every  sphere  of  life — that  we  live 
H 


210  Laws  Governing 

and  move,  and  have  our  being  and  that  every- 
thing exists,  in  accordance  with  Law 

While  all  recognize  the  existence  and  op- 
eration of  Laws  in  certain  spheres,  the  uni- 
versality of  Law  and  its  unerring  applica- 
tion to  everything  in  the  universe  and  to  the 
detail  and  entirety  of  all  Life-expression  is 
not,  by  any  means  recognized  or  understood 
as  it  should  be,  but  as  we.  come  tc  realize 
this  great  truth  and  understand  what  is  in- 
volved therein,  we  will  come  to  realize  and 
appreciate  the  necessity  of  an  intelligent  un- 
derstanding of  the  Laws  which  dominate  our 
whole  existence  and  by  which  we  are  gov- 
erned, so  that  we  may  place  ourselves  in 
harmony  with  them  and  know  how  we  may 
use  or  operate  them. 

This  is  a  vital  point  and  one  that  should 
receive  the  closest  attention.  We  must  real- 
ize that  Law  is  inexorable  as  well  as  positive 
in  its  demands,  that  the  product  of  a 
Thought,  of  Suggestion,  or  of  the  Impres- 
sion made  upon  the  Subconscious  mind  must 
and  will  be  determined  by  existing  Laws. 


in  Evety  Sphere.  211 

Through  violation  of  Law  we  suffer, 
through  compliance  with  it  we  profit,  but 
there  is  another  phase  which  intimately  con- 
cerns us  in  our  Life-expression  which  I  will, 
for  want  of  a  better  term,  designate  as  the 
Law  of  Compensation.  In  Thinking,  we 
violate  no  Law,  but  the  Law  of  Compensa- 
tion says  that  I  shall  receive  as  I  give.  If  I 
send  out  Thoughts  of  envy,  jealousy,  malice, 
hatred  or  discouragement,  or  if  I  hold 
Thoughts  of  health,  hope,  success,  love,  hap- 
piness and  good- will  to  all,  I  shall  get  the 
same  in  return. 

Everything  which  exists,  every  result  ob- 
tained in  any  way  whatever  is  the  conse- 
quence of  the  operation  or  workings  of  fixed 
Laws.  In  the  degree  in  which  we  recognize 
this  fact  and  understand  the  character  and 
nature  of  the  Laws  under  which  we  live,  will 
we  be  able  to  act  intelligently  in  regulating 
our  lives  and  in  determining  what  shall  come 
to  us  with  more  defmiteness  and  precision. 
We  will  see  that  when  we  wish  to  produce 
some  given  result,  that  it  can  be  attained 


212  Laws  Governing 

only  through  the  operation  of  certain  Laws 
and  the  better  we  understand  the  Laws  by 
which  we  are  governed,  the  more  sure  we  can 
be  of  the  desired  results. 

The  one  great  and  supreme  fact  of  the 
universe  is  God,  who  is  the  creator  and  sus- 
tainer  of  all.  But  God  works  through  Laws 
which  He  has  established  and  He  expects  us 
to  recognize  the  existence  of  these  Laws  and 
place  ourselves  in  harmony  with  them. 
Compliance  with  Law  means  infinite  good 
to  us,  while  violation  brings  us  suffering  and 
disappointment.  The  secret  of  intelligent 
living  involves  a  knowledge  of  God  and  an 
understanding  of  His  Laws,  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  His  Laws  involves  a  knowledge  of 
all  that  enters  into  Life — the  things  which 
we  have  been  considering  in  previous  chap- 
ters. 

We  must  remember  that  all  Laws  are  op- 
erative whether  we  recognize  them  or  not 
and  that  it  is  through  ignorance  or  wilful- 
ness  that  we  reap  undesirable  results,  while 
a  knowledge  and  right  understanding  of 


in  Every  Sphere.  213 

these  Laws  enables  us  to  live  and  act  in  har- 
mony with  them  and  govern  in  their  appli- 
cation to  all  that  concerns  us. 

When  we  understand  that  what  we  are, 
what  we  do  and  what  we  shall  become,  as 
well  as  our  health,  happiness  and  our  suc- 
cess are  all  the  result  or  consequence  of  the 
operation  of  certain  Laws,  and  that  all  Law 
is  positive  and  imperative  in  its  action,  we 
will  then  see  that  in  order  to  achieve  any 
purpose  or  bring  about  any  particular  result 
or  condition,  we  must  place  ourselves  in  a 
right  relation  to  the  governing  Laws,  we 
must  live  and  work  in  harmony  with  them 
and  utilize  their  operations  in  attaining  our 
objects.  We  cannot  change  existing  Law  nor 
avoid  the  consequences  of  its  violation,  but 
we  can  change  our  own  circumstances  and 
conditions  through  employing  it  in  the  pro- 
per way. 

The  transmission  of  Thought,  its  power 
of  Attraction,  the  influence  of  Mind  over 
Body,  Suggestion,  the  Impressions  made 
upon  the  Subconscious  mind,  together  with 


214  Laws  Governing 

all  its  activities  are  governed  by  the  exact 
workings  of  Laws.  As  we  grasp  and  realize 
this  fact,  we  will  come  to  see  that  it  is  only 
through  a  knowledge  and  understanding  of 
these  Laws  that  we  can  intelligently  use  or 
apply  them  in  consciously  shaping  our  lives, 
in  determining  what  shall  come  to  u?  and  in 
controlling  all  Life-expression. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  he  who  under- 
stands the  nature  and  workings  of  the  Laws 
which  control  his  existence  and  intelligently 
employs  them  in  the  working  out  of  the 
problem  of  Life  will  assuredly  obtain  the 
most  satisfactory  results,  if  he  will  place 
himself  in  harmony  with  them  and  persist 
in  his  purpose.  There  is  no  question  as  to 
this. 

The  more  you  understand  the  Laws  gov- 
erning the  activities  of  the  Subconscious 
mind,  the  more  effectively  will  you  be  able 
to  control  and  direct  them  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. You  will  then  understand  how  you  can 
control  the  character  of  the  impressions  up- 
on which  it  acts,  whether  thev  be  conscious 


in  Every  Sphere.  215 

or  unconscious  Impressions.  The  better  you 
understand  the  Law  of  Suggestion,  the  more 
effectively  will  you  be  able  to  apply  it  to 
yourself  and  to  others.  Knowledge  is  Power. 

Laws  are  constantly  operative  which  gov- 
ern us  in  every  phase  and  condition  of  life 
and  in  the  degree  in  which  we  understand 
the  way  in  which  they  operate  and  intelli- 
gently use  them  in  our  efforts  to  bring  about 
desired  results  will  we  be  able  to  consciously 
and  rightly  govern  and  control  our  circum- 
stances, environment,  health,  happiness  and 
success.  , 

We  cannot  violate  a  Law  with  impunity. 
We  must  pay  the  penalty.  Sickness  and  dis- 
ease is  the  result  of  the  violation  of  Law, 
and  health  is  the  natural  consequence  of 
compliance  with  it. 

Happiness,  success  and  the  attainment  of 
all  good;  reverses,  failures,  disappointment, 
unhappiness  and  misery  are  the  result  of  the 
direct  compliance  with,  or  violation  of  Law, 
or  the  consequences  of  the  operation  of  the 
Law  of  Compensation,  and  by  our  own 


216        Laws  Governing  in  Every  Sphere. 

choice  we  determine  just  what  shall  be.  The 
more  fully  we  recognize  and  understand  the 
existence  and  operation  of  these  universal 
Laws,  the  more  clearly  will  we  see  how  it  is 
that  in  one  way  or  another  we  are  actually 
determining,  every  moment,  what  shall  come 
to  us. 

To  comply  with  Law  or  place  ourselves  in 
harmony  with  it,  we  must  have  a  knowledge 
and  understanding  of  its  nature  and  opera- 
tion. To  make  an  intelligent  application  of 
the  "Science  and  Philosophy  of  Life"  we 
must  understand  and  act  in  compliance  with 
the  Laws  governing  it. 


The— 

Secret 

Of 

True 

Attainment. 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

To  the  one  who  is  earnestly  striving  for 
the  development  of  his  own  latent  forces  and 
powers  and  to  the  attainment  of  higher 
Ideals,  I  know  of  no  two  words  of  greater 
significance  than  that  of  "Kealization"  and 
"Doing." 

We  all  have  an  intellectual  perception  of 
knowledge  and  Truth  which  is  beyond  our 
actual  realization.  In  a  way,  we  see  and 
discern  the  manifestations  and  operation  of 
these  Laws  and  Forces  which  we  have  been 
considering,  and  believe  them,  but  we  fail 
in  that  vital  realization  of  their  real  import 
and  application  which  would  invest  them 
with  their  greatest  degree  of  power  for  us. 
You,  my  reader,  will  say  that  you  realize  the 
force  and  truth  of  what  I  am  saying,  but 
do  you? 

We  are  so  prone  to  a  mental  perception  of 
Truth  which  is  lacking  in  realization,  that  I 

219 


220  The  Secret  of 

would  press  this  point  upon  you.  A  Truth, 
a  Law,  a  Principle  becomes  powerful  and  of 
value  to  us  according  to  the  degree  of  its 
realization  in  the  Soul.  Every  day  you  will 
prove  the  truth  of  this,  as  I  have  done,  if 
you  are  observing. 

With  the  vital  Realization  of  a  thing 
comes  power.  It  then  takes  a  more  definite 
and  positive  form  and  becomes  a  Reality.  To 
illustrate :  When  we  come  to  actuallv  realize 
that  Thought  is  a  tremendous  force  and 
power,  and  that  a  Thought  or  desire  firmly 
held  with  persistence  is  bound  to  attract 
that  which  is  in  correspondence  with  it,  we 
stand  in  awe  before  the  vast  possibilities 
which  are  opened  before  us.  But  it  is  only 
through  Realization  that  these  wonderful 
possibilities  are  brought  home  to  us.  A  men- 
tal perception  must  exist  first,  but  it  is 
through  acting  upon  these  perceptions  of  the 
mind — through  the  doing,  that  the  Realiza- 
tion and  Potency  of  any  Truth,  Law  or 
Principle  becomes  a  power  to  us. 

Remember — mark    it    well,    it    is    only 


True  Attainment.  221 

through  Doing  or  Demonstration  that  vital 
Realization  comes.  We  know  through  Do- 
ing, then  Knowledge  becomes  Power  and 
brings  Realization  with  it  in  the  degree  in 
which  we  are  observing  and  follow  each 
proposition  out  to  its  conclusion  and  appli- 
cation. 

So  often  has  the  question  been  asked  me, 
"Where  is  the  beginning  and  what  is  the 
proper  course  to  pursue  to  develop  myself 
and  reach  to  higher  Attainments  ?"  that  it  is 
my  desire  to  make  this  as  plain  as  possible. 
It  is  interesting,  and  at  the  same  time  pain- 
ful as  well,  to  note  the  various  methods  em- 
ployed to  attain  this  end.  There  are  numer- 
ous "courses"  of  instructions  offered  ut 
prices  varying  from  $5.00  to  $100,  which 
the  reader  is  assured  will  bring  about  the 
desired  development,  and  the  methods  advo- 
cated are  many.  The  mistake  commonly 
made  is  in  employing  methods  which  are,  in 
a  sense,  mechanical  and  which  do  not  touch 
the  foundation  principles.  Thousands  are 
earnestly  seeking  light  which  will  enable 


222  The  Secret  of 

them  to  live  more  intelligently.  They  read 
and  study  and  yei  feel  that  they  are  making 
but  little  progress — that  there  is  something 
lacking. 

There  are  two  things  which  interfere  with 
and  hinder  the  true  Attainment  and  Devel- 
ment  of  the  many.  The  first  is  the  absence 
of  a  definite  idea  as  to  what  constitutes  true 
Development,  and  the  second  is  that  ever- 
present  desire  and  fascination  for  the  "mys- 
terious"— stronge^  in  some  than  in  others — 
which  leads  them  to  seek  the  demonstrations 
of  Psychic  Power  in  its  various  phases. 
Now,  while  this  is  all  right  in  its  way  and 
place,  it  does  not  constitute  true  Develop- 
ment or  Attainment  and  neither  are  these 
powers  essential  to  it.  Many  possess  them 
with  little  or  no  real  mental  or  Spiritual  de- 
velopment, but  the  one  who  reaches  a  true 
Attainment  will  come  into  the  possession  or 
development  of  all  of  these  powers  he  can 
wisely  use,  or  which  are  needful  to  him. ' 

True  Attainment  and  real  Development 
consists  in  an  intelligent  knowledge  and  un- 


True  Attainment.  223 

derstanding  of  the  Laws,  Principles  and 
Conditions  upon  which  life-expression  is 
founded,  in  understanding  the  way  in  which 
ive  are  governed  and  controlled  in  it,  and  in 
knowing  how  we  can  consciously  and  intelli- 
gently shape  life  for  ourselves  and  control 
our  own  circumstances,  conditions  and  en- 
vironment— our  destiny,,  here  and  hereafter. 

He  who  realizes  that  Life  is  no  mere  past- 
time,  but  a  vital  and  serious  problem  will 
demand  something  practical,,  something  that 
he  can  absorb  and  assimilate  into  his  life. 
He  wants  to  know  how  he  can  come  into  a 
more  complete  control  and  command  of  his 
own  powers  and  best  utilize  them  in  his  life- 
expression.  Such  will  not  be  satisfied  with 
mere  theories,  no  matter  how  pleasing  they 
may  be.  He  wants  something  which  can  be 
proven,  demonstrated  and  brought  into 
daily  practical  use — something  which  will 
better  his  condition. 

If  you  have  carefully  read  and  studied  the 
foregoing  pages,  you  will  have  formed  some 
idea  of  the  starting  point  in  right  living,  as 


224  The  Secret  of 

well  as  of  the  development  of  your  own 
forces  and  powers.  These  are  the  underly- 
ing principles  of  all  Life-expression,  yet 
even  they  are  but  collaterals — the  effect  of 
a  still  more  potential  cause,  when  true  Spir- 
itual Attainment  is  considered,  and  if  we 
would  base  our  growth  and  development  up- 
on a  foundation  which  is  unassailable,  sure 
and  firm,  we  must  go  still  back  of  these. 

All  that  we  have  been  studying,  all  At- 
tainment, all  Development  and  substantial 
progress  can  be  summed  up  in  two  words — 
Wisdom  and  Understanding.  There  are  no 
two  words  which  involve  more  for  the  good 
of  humanity  than  these. 

If  you  are  really  desirous  of  a  higher  and 
truer  Attainment,  kindly  take  your  Bible 
and  turn  to  Proverbs,  IIT,  13  to  26,  but  es- 
pecially verses  13  to  19.  A  careful  study  of 
these  few  verses  will  disclose  the  fact  that 
in  the  acquirement  of  Wisdom  and  Under- 
standing, everything  else  is  included.  In 
her  hands  are  Length  of  Days,  Riches  and 
Honor,  Health  and  Happiness:  The  Mer- 


True  Attainment.  225 

chandise  of  it  is  better  than  the  merchan- 
dise of  Silver,  and  the  Gain  thereof  better 
than  fine  gold.  She  is  more  Precious  than 
rubies,  and  all  things  thou  canst  desire  are 
not  to  be  compared  with  her.  Her  Ways  are 
Ways  of  Pleasantness  and  all  her  Paths  are 
Peace.  The  Lord  by  wisdom  hath  founded 
the  earth,  and  by  Understanding,  He  estab- 
lished the  Heavens.  Truly,  Happy  is  the 
man  that  findeth  Wisdom  and  the  man  that 
getteth  Understanding 

Ponder  over  the  foregoing  paragraph  my 
reader,  and  see  if  you  do  not  discover  for 
yourself  a  new  Principle  or  starting-point  in 
life.  A  vital  realization  of  what  is  involved 
in  this  would  cause  many  to  cease  their  mad 
rush  hither  and  thither  after  all  sorts  of 
Psychic  phenomena,  their  inordinate  desire 
for  communication  with  "departed  spirits" 
and  their  quest  after  "power,"  "Psychic  Vi- 
brations" and  various  will-o'-the-wisps. 
They  would  discover  that  these  things  are  of 
minor  importance  and  that  there  is  but  little 
in  them  which  will  admit  of  practical  use- 

15 


226  The  Secret  of 

fulness  or  application  in  real  Attainment 
and  Development.  Psychic  power  has  its 
place  and  value,  but  it  should  never,  simply 
for  its  own  sake,  be  made  an  object.  You 
will  grow  into  it  and  will  possess  all  that  is 
needful  for  you  through  the  process  of  true 
development,  and  it  will  come  natural  and 
without  forcing. 

One  of  the  first  steps  towards  real  and 
substantial  Attainment,  is  the  understand- 
ing and  Kealization,  and  the  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  great  fact  that  Life-expression 
is  the  product  of  our  Thoughts  and  that 
through  right  Thinking  we  can  change  our 
circumstances,  conditions  and  environment, 
our  failures,  our  unhappiness  and  ill-health 
to  a  great  extent,  if  not  entirely,  at  will.  All 
acts  and  all  Attainment  spring  from 
Thought,  hence  the  necessity  of  attending 
first  of  all  to  this,  one  of  the  fundamental 
factors  in  the  phenomena  of  life. 

A  little  reflection  will  show  us  clearly  that 
the  quality  of  our  Purpose,  our  Thought  and 
our  Desire,  our  Success  in  all  our  undertak- 


True  Attainment.  227 

ings,  and  our  true  Development  and  Attain- 
ment in  any  and  all  directions,  are  all  de- 
pendent upon  the  degree  of  Wisdom  and  Un- 
derstanding which  we  possess.  This  is  the 
foundation  upon  which  we  must  build,  for 
no  other  will  stand  the  crucial  test  nor  can 
we  in  any  other  way  attain  to  the  highest  de- 
velopment of  the  best  that  is  within  us. 

In  our  acts,  and  in  all  that  we  do,  every- 
thing depends  upon  the  Wisdom  and  Under- 
standing which  we  possess.  Everything  de- 
pends upon  what  we  know,  as  we  act,  meas- 
ure and  judge  everything  from  the  vantage 
ground  of  our  Understanding. 

As  all  growth  is  by  degrees,  so  is  Attain- 
ment. We  unfold,  as  it  were,  little  by  little, 
just  as  the  full-blown  rose  comes  from  the 
green  bud,  breaking  apart  sheath  after 
sheath  until  it  can  express  its  full  beauty 
and  fragrance,  so  it  is  in  our  Attainment 
and  Development:  we  unfold  and  the  inner 
life  expands  into  expression  by  degrees,  in 
order  that  we  may  more  fully  comprehend 
and  understand  every  step  of  the  way. 


228  The  Secret  of  True  Attainment. 

The  real  secret  of  true  Attainment  may 
be  stated  in  a  very  few  words.  It  lies  in  the 
acquirement  of  Wisdom  and  Understanding 
and  in  their  application.  We  must  not  only 
Know,  but  we  must  Do  and  in  the  Doing  we 
shall  always  Know  the  more. 


A—- 
Little 
Friendly 
Talk. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Do  you,  my  reader,  my  friend,  Eealize 
that  Life  is  just  what  you  make  it  ?  Do  you 
begin  to  realize  your  own  responsibility  in 
shaping,  not  alone  your  own  life,  but  that  of 
others  as  well?  Do  you  realize  the  wonder- 
ful power — the  wonderful  resources  which 
are  at  your  command  if  you  will  but  reach 
out  and  take  them?  Do  you  realize  that 
you  can  be  what  you  will  to  be? — that  you 
can  determine  what  shall  come  to  you  ? 

Think  not  that  these  things  are  mere  fan- 
cies or  theories.  Do  not  cast  then  aside  with 
a  passing  Thought,  but  open  yourself  to 
them,  absorb  them,  live  them  and  you  will 
soon  realize  their  potency  and  power.  Open 
yourself  to  the  light  of  Truth  and  allow  it  to 
shine  in  upon  v<-  ur  own  Soul. 

In  what  I  have  written,  I  have  in  the 
main,  drawn  from  my  own  experience  and 
have  given  you  facts  which  I  have  demon- 

231 


232  A  Little 

strated  and  proven,  but  I  feel  that  my  words 
are  inadequate  to  convey  the  depth  of  mean- 
ing underlying  the  Principles  and  Truths 
which  I  have  stated.  I  wish  it  were  within 
my  power  in  some  way  to  impress  upon  you 
the  Vital  Reality  as  well  as  the  great  im- 
portance of  these  things  and  help  you  to 
shape  your  life  more  intelligently,  to  attain 
to  a  higher  Spiritual  Development,  to  great- 
er Success  and  greater  Happiness.  I  wish 
I  could  in  some  way  imbue  you  with  the 
same  deep  sense  of  Realization  that  has  come 
to  me  in  writing  these  pages. 

But  all  growth  and  development  is  by  de- 
grees and  we  must  be  prepared  for  a  Truth 
before  we  can  receive  it.  If  a  Truth  is  pre- 
sented to  us  before  we  are  prepared  for  it, 
we  do  not  see  it.  How  often  have  you  read 
a  paragraph  in  a  book  without  having  your 
attention  especially  attracted  to  it,  but  on 
re-reading  it  another  time  have  discovered  a 
Truth  or  meaning  which  appealed  strongly 
to  you !  This  is  true  of  all.  Our  eyes  are 
"holden"  until  we  grow  up  to,  or  are  pre- 


Friendly  Talk.  233 

pared  for  a  Truth,  then  we  can  See,  Eealize 
and  Appropriate  it  for  ourselves. 

Each  time  you  go  over  these  propositions 
you  will  get  more  light  and  will  perceive 
things  whjch  at  first  may  not  have  been  clear 
to  you.  The  scope  of  your  mental  perception 
is  broadening  and  the  understanding  or  Re- 
alization of  one  point  or  Truth,  helps  you 
to  see  and  understand  another. 

I  have  endeavored  to  make  all  as  clear  as 
possible  without  going  into  details.  You 
will  not  find  everything  "spelled  out,"  but 
to  the  contrary  brevity  has  been  the  rule  and 
it  is  for  yon  to  study  and  follow  each  propo- 
sition out  to  its  conclusion  yourself.  In  this 
way  you  will  derive  the  greatest  help.  Do 
not  allow  others  to  do  your  Thinking  for 
you.  Do  not  accept  a  thing  simply  because 
I  have  said  it,  buc  "try"  it,  reason  it  out, 
apply  it,  prove  and  investigate  all  things  for 
yourself. 

Many  people  are  Mentally  Lazy.  They 
find  it  much  easier,  and  less  of  an 
effort  to  allow  others  to  do  their 


234  A  Little 

Thinking  for  them  than  to  arouse  their 
own  dormant  faculties  and  do  the  work 
themselves,  but  it  is  always  the  Thinker,  the 
Reasoner,  the  Investigator  who  penetrates 
the  true  "inwardness"  of  things  and  reaps 
the  richest  results,  therefore  resolve  to  start 
in  now  and  Think  and  Act  for  yourself  and 
in  thus  ddng,  direct  the  current  of  your  life 
yourself,  instead  of  allowing  others  to  do  it 
for  you. 

Be  observing.  !N"ote  the  occurrences  of 
each  day,  analyze  them,  reason  from  cause  to 
effect  and  from  effect  to  cause  and  you  will 
find  constant  demonstrations  of  the  Laws 
and  Principles  which  I  have  been  trying  to 
make  clear  to  you. 

Remember,  real  Attainment  and  Develop- 
ment comes  through  the  acquirement  of  Wis- 
dom and  Understanding.  Do  not  be  misled 
into  seeking  the  development  of  "Psychic 
power"  bui  occupy  yourself  first  of  all  with 
that  which  will  establish  you  on  a  firm  foun- 
dation and  enable  you  to  govern  and  control 
your  own  life — the  practical  things,  and  you 


Friendly  Talk.  235 

will  find  your  advancement  more  substantial 
and  at  the  same  time  rapid.  You  can  do 
any  thing  that  another  can  if  you  know  what 
he  knows,  therefore  you  see  that  real  Attain- 
ment lies  in  the  acquirement  of  Wisdom  and 
Understanding. 

Do  not  be  concerned  about  what  others 
are  doing  so  much  as  in  doing  yourself.  You 
must  stand  upon  your  own  foundation, 
which  you  must  build,  for  in  the  degree  in 
which  you  lean  upon  another,  in  that  degree 
are  you  weak.  Develop  your  own  forces  and 
powers,  learn  how  to  use  them  to  the  best 
advantage,  stand  at  the  helm — be  master  of 
the  situation. 

You  can  attract  to  yourself  all  that  is 
beautiful,  noble  and  true  if  you  set  yourself 
about  it.  You  can  draw  to  yourself  Love 
and  good-will  from  all,  but  you  do  this  by 
first  assuming  that  mental  attitude  yourself, 
for  remember,  you  receive  the  same  as  you 
send — like  attracts  like.  If  you  want  others 
to  Love  you,  love  them.  If  you  wish  others 
to  see  good  in  yourself,  see  good  in  them. 


236  A  Little 

There  is  good  in  everyone,  if  you  can  get  to 
it,  but  sometimes  it  requires  patient  and 
persistent  effort  to  bring  it  to  the  front. 

To  make  life  beautii'ul,  you  must  culti- 
vate the  garden  of  your  own  Soul.  Grow 
there  all  the  beautiful  things  you  can  think 
of,  and  you  will  soon  find  Thought  express- 
ing itself  in  action  and  attracting  to  itself 
that  which  is  in  harmony  and  correspond- 
ence with  it.  Bear  in  mind  that  the  exter- 
nal is  but  the  expression  of  that  which  is 
within  and  the  face  is  a  true  index  to  the 
heart,  if  you  can  read. 

We  must  begin  with  ourselves  if  we 
would  beautify  our  lives  and  make  them  pro- 
ductive of  good.  Don't  commence  apply- 
ing these  things  to  others  the  first  thing, 
but  let  others  alone  for  the  time  being.  Ap- 
ply the  workings  of  these  Laws  and  Prin- 
ciples to  yourself — to  your  own  life,  and  you 
will  find  that  as  you  develop  strength  of 
character  and  a  positive  attitude,  you  will 
be  influencing  others  to  a  surprising  degree. 
The  very  Thoughts  and  Principles  you  live 


Friendly  Talk.  237 

will  affect  and  influence  them  and  you  will 
find  yourself  doing  good  without  knowing  it. 

But  do  good  for  its  own  sake — just  for  the 
sake  of  doing  good  and  not  that  you  may 
receive  recognition.  It  is  true  that  we  re- 
ceive as  we  give  but  this  should  not  be  our 
motive  of  action.  It  is  "more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive"  and  in  doing  good  we  re- 
ceive good  ourselves,  though  not  of  neces- 
sity from  those  whom  we  have  served.  Act 
from  Principle  and  maintain  the  conscious- 
ness of  right  doing,  unobserved  and  un- 
known. 

In  no  way  can  we  do  more  to  make  life 
beautiful,  noble  and  pure — in  no  way  can  we 
contribute  more  to  a  truly  Successful  life, 
than  through  the  development  of  the  higher 
faculties  and  attributes  of  the  Soul.  All  of 
the  good  in  Life-expression  comes  through 
this  source  and  in  the  degree  in  which  we 
cultivate  these  higher  tnd  more  transcend- 
ent powers  and  attributes  of  the  Spiritual 
man  and  allow  them  to  expand,  do  we  ex- 
press in  our  lives  the  highest  ideals  and  come 


238  A  Little 

to  discern  more  clearly  the  promptings  of 
that  voice  within — intuition. 

Have  an  object — a  purpose  before  you 
which  is  worthy  of  your  greatest  and  best 
efforts.  Here  is  where  many  fail.  While 
possessing  ambition  in  a  degree,  but  having 
no  definite  purpose  or  fixed  object  in  view, 
they  are  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  drifting 
with  the  tide  with  a  feeling  of  helplessness. 
A  definite  object  or  purpose  in  life  is  a  ne- 
cessity and  is  a  wonderful  incentive  to  Do, 
and  especially  is  this  so  when  reinforced  by 
that  Wisdom  and  Knowledge  which  enables 
us  to  realize  that  we  can  Do  that  which  we 
really  desire  to  do,  for  be  it  remembered,  the 
desire  would  not  be  there  unless  there  were 
also  the  ability  to  perform. 

If  you  are  one  who  has  been  in  any  meas- 
ure "drifting/'  without  a  center,  purpose  or 
object  before  you,  call  a  halt  now,  take  a 
candid  and  just  inventory  of  your  resources, 
measure  your  own  abilities,  your  tastes,  de- 
sires and  ambitions,  learn  what  would  har- 
monize with  your  nature,  what  would  be 


Friendly  Talk.  239 

congenial  to  you  and  what  would  enlist  all 
your  energies  and  enthusiasm,  and  then  ap- 
ply yourself  in  that  direction.  Thousands 
of  men  go  through  life  out  of  place  simply 
because  they  do  not  study  their  natural 
adaptabilities,  drifting  into  anything  that 
presents  an  opening  and  never  really  succes- 
ful.  Study  yourself  well  and  do  not  jump 
to  any  hasty  conclusions,  be  deliberate  as 
well  as  candid  with  yourself,  and  when  you 
have  fixed  your  purpose  and  determined 
what  you  wish  to  do,  hold  to  that  purpose 
with  that  dogged  and  steadfast  persistency 
which  knows  no  such  thing  as  fail,  knowing 
that  you  can  Do  that  which  you  will  to  Do,* 
and  you  will  shortly  find  yourself  possessed 
of  a  growing  confidence  in  your  own  ability 
and  will  see  things  changing  and  shaping 
themselves  in  correspondence  with  your 
Thoughts,  your  Desires  and  your  Purposes. 
But  do  not  allow  seeming  failure  to  dis- 
courage you.  Difficulties  and  trying  circum- 
stances meet  us  to  be  overcome  and  they  not 
only  serve  to  develop,  our  greater  strength, 


240  A  Little 

but  they  afford  us  the  opportunity  of  prov- 
ing our  power  t:ver  them  and  of  demonstrat- 
ing the  fact  that  we  can  Burmount  any  ob- 
stacle or  difficulty  which  comes  to  us,  in  one 
way  or  another.  This  >s  true.  It  is  no  mere 
theory.  You  don't  know  what  you  can  Do, 
or  what  you  are  capable  of,  until  you  try  and 
if  you  never  try  you  will  never  know.  Re- 
member, the  only  way  to  do  a  thing  is  to  be- 
gin and  Do  it. 

I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  treating  a 
young  mar.  of  twenty-five  for  mental  and 
moral  defects  in  his  character  who  could 
t  only  say  "I  cant."  This  was  the  one  thought 
of  his  life  He  constantly  affirmed  that  he 
could  not  do  anything,  that  he  never  had 
amounted  to  anything  and  that  he  was  sure 
that  he  never  could  accomplish  anything  or 
make  a  man  of  himself.  He  was  completely 
discouraged  and  as  devoid  of  apparent  possi- 
bilities as  any  one  can  bo  and  live,  and  in- 
deed he  confessed  that  he  had  been  tempted 
to  throw  himself  into  the  sea  more  than  once. 
He  could  not  apply  himself  to  anything  and 


Friendly  Talk.  241 

he  never  was  known  to  stick  to  a  thing  and 
finish  it  In  everything  he  undertook,  his 
hands  would  fall  to  his  side  and  he  would 
say  "1  cam." 

A  prominent  Clergyman  who  brought  him 
to  me  for  treatment  remarked  that  in  all  his 
experience,  he  had  never  met  with  such  an 
extreme  case  of  mental  degeneracy.  At  the 
end  of  two  weeks  treatment,  the  young  man 
informed  me  with  all  the  confidence  and  as- 
surance in  the  world  that  he  was  "all  right" 
and  could  "stand  alone/'  He  said,  "before, 
I  thought  I  could  not  rlo  anything,  but  now 
I  know  that  I  can,  because  I  have  done  it." 
He  knows  that  he  can  do  what  he  wills  to  do, 
and  he  is  demonstrating  this  every  day.  He 
knows  that  the  same  force,  energy  and  de- 
termination which  enabled  him  to  do  the 
things  he  has  done,  will  enable  him  to  do 
others.  He  is  now  full  of  energy  and  ambi- 
tion and  is  thoroughly  self-reliant.  He  re- 
spects himself  and  is  therefore  commanding 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  others.  He  is 


242  A  Little 

making  a  man  of  himself  and  will  succeed 
even  beyond  his  present  expectations. 

This  extreme  case  simply  demonstrates 
the  fact  that  through  Learning  and  Doing, 
you  can  accomplish  anything  which  you  will 
to  do,  providing  it  is  within  the  range  of 
your  intelligence  or  ability,  for  remember, 
the  only  limitations  placed  upon  you  are  the 
limitations  of  your  Knowledge  and  Faith. 
You  cannot  really  "will"  to  do  that  which 
is  beyond  what  is  possible  to  you. 

It  is  for  you  to  say  what  your  life  shall  be. 
It  is  for  you  to  say  whether  you  shall  be  a 
success  or  a  failure,  whether  or  not  you  will 
go  along  with  the  great  mass  of  humanity 
who  are  eking  out  an  existence,  with  but 
little  ambition  for  higher  achievements,  in 
ignorance  of  the  forces  and  power  which  is 
lying  dormant  within  them,  and  who  think 
they  cannot  do  anything  but  what  they  are 
doing.  You  can  climb  the  ladder  of  Attain- 
ment as  high  as  you  will,  if  you  but  begm 
and  Do. 

Draw  the  line  on  the  past  now  and  deter- 


Friendly  Talk.  243 

mine  that  you  will  live  to  higher  Ideals — to 
the  best  that  is  within  you,  with  a  definite 
and  fixed  purpose  which  you  are  determined 
to  accomplish.  Study  well  to  understand 
the  Science  and  Philosophy  of  true  living 
and  then  apply  it  in  the  working  out  of  your 
own  ideals  and  you  will  succeed  in  the  de- 
gree in  which  you  Learn,  Know  and  Do. 

"When  shall  we  win? — 

Why,  when  we  fire 
Straight  to  the  mark  and  never  tire ; 
When  we  hold  fast,  as  we've  begun, 
And  still  work  on  till  all  is  done." 


Parting. 


And  now,  again,  I  grasp  your  hand  in 
parting  and  leave  you  with  my  very  best 
wishes  for  your  highest  attainment  in  the 
development  of  the  best  that  is  in  you  and 
for  a  fuller  and  deeper  Eealization  of  the 
grandeur  of  Life  as  it  is  expressed  through 
the  transcendent  faculties  of  the  Soul,  and 
if  the  sincere  wish  of  my  heart  is  granted, 
the  fruits  of  my  small  eiforts  will  be  made 
manifest,  not  alone  in  the  life  which  we 
must  live  here,  but  in  that  never-ending 
Eternity  of  life  where  all  is  holiness,  love, 
happiness,  harmony  and  joy. 

My  sole  aim  and  desire  has  been  to  help 
you  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  great 
underlying  principles  of  life  which  would 
enable  you  to  live  more  intelligently  and 
make  your  life  more  beautiful,  more  noble 


and  more  successful  in  the  highest  sense  of 
the  word,  and  the  degree  in  which  I  am  suc- 
cessful in  this  will  measure  the  degree  of 
the  satisfaction  ai>d  compensation  I  shall 
derive  from  my  work. 

If  you  are  one  who  has  attained  to  a 
greater  Wisdom,  Knowledge  and  Under- 
standing than  I,  and  need  no  help  which  I 
can  give,  then  accept  my  very  best  wishes 
and  God-speed  for  your  still  further  ad- 
vancement, with  the  earnestness  and  sincer- 
ity with  which  they  are  given. 

If,  however,  you  have  found  Life's  path- 
way rugged  and  rough  thus  far,  you  have 
had  my  companionship,  and  it  is  my  desire 
to  help  you  in  the  same  way  in  which  I  have 
helped  myself.  I  know  what  difficulties  and 
obstacles  are,  I  know  what  it  is  to  stumble 
and  fall,  though  I  do  not  know  what  it  is  to 
stay  down,  but  I  also  know  what  it  is  to 
overcome  difficulties  and  conquer  obstacles, 
I  know  what  it  is  to  turn  apparent  defeat 
into  victory,  and  failure  into  success. 

I  have  spoken  from  my  Soul.  I  have  writ- 
ten what  I  have  demonstrated  and  proved, 


and  the  background  of  my  own  life  and  ex- 
periences has  formed  the  canvas  upon  which 
the  picture  has  been  painted  and  it  is  pre- 
sented to  you  with  the  hope  that  it  will  not 
merely  amuse  or  entertain  you,  but  rather 
lead  you  to  a  higher  conception  of  life,  with 
its  grand  possibilities  and  stimulate  you  to 
higher  ideals  and  to  the  grandest  Attain- 
ment and  Development  which  is  possible  to 
man. 

While  writing,  I  have  felt  that  I  was  in 
company  with  my  reader,  and  it  is  with  re- 
luctance that  I  now  realize  that  we  must 
part,  but  it  may  be  but  for  a  little  time — We 
shall  meet  again. 

(OVER) 


Special — 

Announcement 

To 

The 

Reader 

Of 

This 

Book. 


To  MY  READER  : 

With  the  view  of  keeping  in  touch  with 
you,  my  reader,  and  of  helping,  as  best  as 
I  can,  the  many  who  are  seeking  knowledge 
to  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  subjects 
which  we  have  been  considering,  through 
timely  articles  and  answering  questions,  I 
shall  shortly  commence  the  publication  of 
the  Magazine  "Thoughts,  New  and  Old/' 
which  will  be  issued  periodically — probably 
quarterly  for  the  present,  and  free. 

It  is  my  desire  to  make  this  Magazine 
practical  and  helpful  to  all  and  as  far  as  lies? 
within  my  power,  to  spread  these  living 
truths  among  those  who  are  as  yet  strangers 
to  them,  and  to  this  end,  I  ask  your  co-oper- 
ation in  sending  me  the  addresses  of  such  as 
you  think  will  be  benefitted  by  it.  Such 
subjects  will  be  taken  up  from  time  to  time 
as  having  a  bearing  upon  life  as  we  all  have 
to  meet  it,  the  development  of  our  higher 
faculties,  our  health,  happiness,  success,  etc. 


Questions  which  are  relevant  will  be  an- 
swered as  far  as  is  practicable  and  within 
'the  limits  of  the  space  at  my  command,  and 
if  I  can  be  of  further  help  to  you,  I  shall 
be  glad  to  hear  from  you. 

It  is  my  desire  to  help  those  who  need  it 
and  I  will  gladly  send  the  Magazine  to  every 
reader  of  this  book,  and  to  those  who  are 
sufficiently  interested  in  these  subjects  to  de- 
sire it,  but  as  this  is  purely  a  labor  of  love, 
and  I  do  not  wish  to  send  it  to  those  who  are 
indifferent,  I  will  ask  you  to  kindly  advise 
me  if  you  wish  it,  writing  your  name  and 
address  plainly,  and  I  will  gladly  send  it  tc 
you. 

Remember,  there  is  no  charge  for  this 
whatever — it  is  yours  for  the  asking,  in  ex- 
change for  your  appreciation,  and  I  shall  be 
pleased  to  send  it  to  you  if  you  wish  it. 

Cordially  yours, 

EDWARD  H.  COWLES, 

Palermo, 
August  ist  1903.  Butte  Co.,  Calif. 


PERFECT  UNION. 


As  tiny  raindrops  meet  and  coalesce. 

And  each  forgets  itB  own  identity 

In  thinking  of  its  happy  destiny, 
The  other's  tender  presence  to  possess ; 
So  souls  may  meet,  and  in  their  gentleness, 

And  love  forget  the  I  and  My  and  Me, 

In  thinking  of  the  Thou  and  Thy  and  Thee. 

And  as  the  drops  together  onward  flow, 
To  slip  at  last  into  the  shining  sea ; 
So  these  two,  heart  to  heart,  may  onward  go 

Into  the  ocean  of  eternity. 
One  with  each  other  here  in  truth  and  love, 
One  with  each  other,  one  with  God  above. 

—ISABEL  RICHKY. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


W   4  1947 

^  12  J947 

Mar54KW 
I4F?  ;      1954 
NtONILL 

R  1  3  2002 

;.  BERKELEY 


OOm-12,'46(A2012sl6)4120 


VB  "13206" 


